Hasselback (Accordian) Potatoes

Hasselbacks are a swedish style baked potato, getting their name from a Stockholm restaurant, Hasselbachen where they were first served.  I was introduced to this dish by my sweet Mother in law.  We enjoyed her wonderful family dinners every Sunday, while we lived in Arizona while my husband finsihed up school at ASU, our first year of marriage.  I remember the Sunday she told us she was trying a new potato recipe.  My sister in law and I had fun slicing the potatoes into little fans and were anxious to see how they turned out.   We all loved them!  What  a perfect side dish, being beautiful to look at, easy to prepare and absolutely DELCIOUS!  The seasoned potatoes are cut like fans, becoming perfectly crisp on the outside and tender within when roasted.  You can use your imagination with the seasoning to suit your tastes.  I love to add parmesan and garlic.  You can also add fresh herbs for a little  color.  Once I drizzled some pesto over the potatoes and it was fantastic!  This is a side dish that will wow your family and dinner guests without requiring a lot of work or time in the kitchen!   Perfecto!

Hasselback (Accordian) Potatoes
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

6-8 medium potatoes (russet, yukon, red)

Olive oil (or melted butter)

Salt (or seasoned salt)

Garnish: Chopped fresh herbs such as chives or Italian parsley

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and scrub potatoes, but do not peel them. Cut potatoes into 1/8- 1/4 inch thick slices, crosswise, but do not cut all the way through to the bottom.  The slices should be very thin and to about a 1/4 inch from the bottom.  A little tip is to put a small wooden spoon or chopstick at the bottom of the potato to stop your knife from accidentally cutting all the way through.   Place in roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil (or melted butter), making sure some gets in between the slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper  to taste.

Roast for about 45- 60 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes and the thickness of your slices. As the potatoes bake, the slices will fan out and the edges will crisp up.

**Also if you are short on time, I have sliced them first then micorwaved for 10 minutes before drizzling with oil and seasoning.  Fisnish in the oven for about 20 minutes or until crisp.**

Remove potatoes from oven and place potatoes on a serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs if you desire. They are also wonderful without herbs,  as pictured.

Variations

Sprinkle potatoes with freshly grated Parmesan cheese during the last 10-15 minutes of baking.

Drizzle your favorite pesto across the tops before baking.

Recipe Source:  My Mother in law Beth