Hasselback Potatoes

Being Irish, I eat alot of potatoes. I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again: I could live off of potatoes. So the other night, I came across a new recipe for potatoes that I really wanted to try. I just happened to have some of the big baking potatoes in my pantry and thought that i'd give it a shot.

Supposedly, these potatoes are of a Swedish origin (I'm 1/8 Swedish so I thought it would be cool if it turned out I was making something my great-great-Nana would have made). I don't know how true that is or if there's any truth at all to that claim. I did check my lone Swedish cookbook but couldn't find them anywhere (that doesn't meant they're not though).

This is a really simple recipe that can be served with just about anything. Grilled chicken or a nice steak would be ideal for me, but I'm sure it would taste just as good with fish if you're into that sort of thing (sorry, I'm just not a seafood kind of girl). Enjoy!

Hasselback Potatoes

Recipe from All Recipes, adapted by me

4 (8 ounce) baking potatoes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh Romano cheese (I didn't have any on hand so I just used cheddar)
1 tablespoon seasoned dry bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Peel the potatoes, and place in bowl of cold water to prevent browning. Place potatoes into a large wooden or metal spoon. Using a sharp knife, make slices across the potato the short way about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart, making sure to cut down to the lip of the spoon, not all the way through the potato. The slices should stay connected at the bottom, and the spoon helps keep the depth even. Return the potato to the bowl of water, and proceed with the remaining potatoes.
3. When all of the potatoes are cut, place them cut side up in a shallow baking dish or small roasting pan. Drizzle with half of the butter, then season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the remaining butter. Sprinkle Romano cheese and bread crumbs onto the tops of the potatoes, and season with a little more salt and pepper. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until nicely browned.