Hasselback Potatoes

Name: Hasselback Potatoes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Cuisine: Sweden
Ingredients: 8 medium all-purpose potatoes (Yukon Gold, Maris Piper), about 1 kg (2¼ lb), similar size, peeled; 50 g (3½ tbsp) unsalted butter, melted; 2 tbsp olive oil; 6 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt; 2 tbsp fine dry breadcrumbs; 20 g (¼ cup grated) Parmesan or aged Västerbotten-style cheese, finely grated; or a vegetarian hard cheese (traditional Parmesan and Västerbotten use animal rennet); 2 sprigs rosemary or thyme, leaves chopped; flaky sea salt, to finish

Sweden's accordion potatoes, crisp at every edge and tender at the core

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 20 min
Total: 1 h 25 min
Level: Easy

Named after the Stockholm restaurant Hasselbacken, these potatoes are sliced thinly almost all the way through so they fan open in the oven, crisping on every edge while the base stays soft. Basting with butter twice and finishing with breadcrumbs and Parmesan gives the classic golden top.

Ingredients

8medium all-purpose potatoes (Yukon Gold, Maris Piper)about 1 kg (2¼ lb), similar size, peeled
50 gunsalted butter (3½ tbsp)melted
2 tbspolive oil
6 gfine sea salt (1 tsp)
2 tbspfine dry breadcrumbs
20 gParmesan or aged Västerbotten-style cheese (¼ cup grated)finely grated; or a vegetarian hard cheese (traditional Parmesan and Västerbotten use animal rennet)
2 sprigsrosemary or thymeleaves chopped
flaky sea saltto finish

Diet: Vegetarian
Allergens: milk, gluten
Origin: Sweden (Stockholm)

Method

Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
Lay a potato between two chopsticks or wooden spoon handles on a board. Slice down at 3 mm intervals, stopping when the knife hits the sticks, so the base stays joined. Repeat with all the potatoes.
Rinse the potatoes under cold water, gently fanning the slices to wash out starch. Dry very well.
Mix the butter and oil. Set the potatoes in a baking dish, brush generously with half the fat, getting between the slices, and season with the salt.
Roast 30 minutes. The slices will begin to fan open. 30 min
Brush with the remaining fat and the herbs, letting it run between the slices, and roast 20 minutes more. 20 min
Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese, sprinkle over the tops and roast until deep golden, crisp at the edges and a skewer slides easily into the base, 10–15 minutes. 12 min
Finish with flaky salt and serve.

Why it works

Thin slices expose far more surface to the hot oven air, so the edges dehydrate and crisp while the thick, uncut base steams tender. Rinsing removes loose starch that would glue the slices together and stop them fanning. Basting twice puts fat deep between the slices where it fries the edges.

Common mistakes

Cutting through the base: use the chopstick guide.
Not separating the slices when basting: the inside stays dry and pale.
Adding crumbs too soon: they burn before the potato is cooked.

Variations

Garlic-herb butter: Baste with Compound Butter instead of plain butter.

Make ahead and storage

Slice up to 4 hours ahead and keep submerged in cold water; dry very well before roasting.

Notes

Fan oven: 200°C (400°F).