These potatoes, which serve both as a side dish and as a starter, were created at the Hasselback Hotel in Stockholm. Hence they are sometimes referred to as hasselback potatoes rather than Swedish potatoes. The way of preparation is curious as you will see below.
INGREDIENTS (4 people) :
- 4 large long potatoes with clean, thin skin
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 sprigs of parsley
- Unsalted butter
- Salt
- Pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
If you have observed the photo, it seems that the potato has suffered some type of special cut, as if it had a grated surface. It is an effect that is achieved in a very simple way.
First of all we must make a cut at the base of the potato so that it does not roll. Do this without peeling the potato. In fact, hasselback potatoes are never peeled.
Secondly, with a long wooden stick, like the ones used to make skewers, we must cross the potato through the center all the way. This has no other purpose than to prevent the knife, when making the cuts, from going all the way through the potato.
Now we are making cuts in the potato as if we were going to make fine medallions with it. But since the knife meets the toothpick, the slices will be attached to the potato at one end.
Once we have made the slices we can remove the toothpick.
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| Detail of the potatoes before baking |