Thanksgiving side dish!! But not the usual mashed potatoes. I recently learned the pros of the “hasselback” method and it is this: crispy on the outside, still crispy between layers, and then soft at the core. It is a superior texture than just roasted potatoes.
To be fair, I made these with some chicken so definitely works as an ordinary component to dinner. However, these are very pretty and they look like hard work, so it’s ideal if you are visiting a new household and need to look impressive.
It’s important to cut the potatoes correctly. You need to make small slits 3/4 of the way down the potato, if possible. To do this, I set up two spoons horizontally on either side of the potato, which blocks my knife from cutting too far.
Olive oil is key to get these nice and crispy, so don’t skip it! My potatoes are on the smaller side, so if you choose to use larger ones, you may need to increase your cook time.
What you need: a knife, cutting board, sauce brush and a sheet pan
Time: 20 minutes + 45 -50 to bake
Makes: 1.5 pounds of potatoes, enough for about 4 people
Ingredients:
- 1 – 2 pounds of yellow potatoes
- 7 tablespoons of olive oil
- sprinkle of Salt and Pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons of rosemary, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of thyme, chopped
- 1/2 pack of cubed pancetta, around 2 ounces (or about 4 tablespoons of chopped pancetta)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make parallel slices into the potatoes, making the cuts as thin as possible. Do not cut all the way down or they will fall apart!
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper (slit side up) and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll the potatoes around to ensure that they are nice and oily. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
In the meantime, combine the remaining olive oil in a bowl with the rosemary, thyme and garlic. Let sit until the potatoes are done baking.
After 25 minutes, remove potatoes from the oven. They should start to appear like they are crisping. With a sauce brush, brush the olive oil and herb mixture evenly on the potatoes, allowing the oil to drip in between the layers.
Sprinkle the pancetta onto the potatoes carefully, attempting to make the pieces fall into the layers or sit on top of each potato. Some will inevitably fall onto the sheet, so whatever.
Place potatoes back in the oven carefully and bake for another 20 minutes or until as crispy as desired. Let cool for five minutes before eating (they’re hot!)
Store leftovers in an airtight container. They taste great after a quick minute in the microwave!
