Simple Hasselback Potatoes

I was looking for a new and fun side dish to go with our whole chicken that I put in the oven.  With very little planning, I decided on these Simple Hasselback Potatoes for our Super Bowl Sunday meal (out of the Sheet Pan Supper Cookbook) but the recipe is out there everywhere on the internet. 

This was supposed to be our Saturday menu but we switch the meals around at the last minute when my son declared that he wanted hash browns and pancakes.  I was going to make something else because I thought we had enough potatoes but I have wanted to try these and it was exactly the right amount of time left to cook them with the chicken!!  Awesome!!

I washed the potatoes and set them on the cutting board.

I cut the bottom off the potato to give them an even bottom to sit flat.



I sliced the potato in thin slices all the way across the potato.

I put the potatoes in a pan to bake in.  I covered with olive oil.

I topped with sea salt and pepper and tried to separate the slices and dripped the oil inside the potato.

I put the extra pieces of potato in the corners (because I didn't want to waste any potato) of the pan and put it straight into the oven.

After cooking the potatoes for over 30 minutes, I took the potatoes out and flipped the little potato slices and moved the other potatoes.  I added some white cheddar popcorn seasoning and parmesan cheese to brown and put it back in the oven.

The cheese nicely browned and the potato did a great job baking in the oven and the end of the one potato even fell off the rest of the potato.

I put the potatoes on to the plates for dinner.  There was a really thick crust of salt, pepper and cheese on the outside to make this potato really tasty.  We enjoyed the little bit different potato with the soft inside and the great flavor.

I hope that you test this out for yourself and add whatever flavoring you think that your family will love!!  It was perfect to start off simple and we might even make these again!!

Simple Hasselback Potatoes

• Medium Sized potatoes (wash them well)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Chopped fresh herbs, shredded Parmesan Cheese, crumbled bacon, or other toppings

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F with the rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or mist with cooking spray.
2. Slice a thin layer off the base of the potatoes so they will not roll around. Use a sharp knife to make thin with vertical slices down the potato but not all the way through, about 1/8 inch apart.  Place the potatoes on sheet pan.
3. Brush potatoes all over including the bottoms with olive oil about 1 tbsp each.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake them until the slits have begun to open and spread apart like fans, about 30 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and brush the tops with potatoes with the oily pan drippings.  Return the pan to the oven and bake the potatoes until crisp on the outside and knife tender within, another 30 to 40 minutes
5. Finish the potatoes with a sprinkle of chopped herbs, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon or other toppings and serve warm.