Back in 1953, in Sweden, at a restaurant called Hasselbacken, someone figured out that you could slice potatoes very thinly – but not all the way through so the thin slices were held together on the bottom side – and then cook them until the slices separated and got nice and crispy.
Hasselback Potatoes look fancy but they’re actually quite easy to make…you’ll be “hasselbackin’” in no time flat! Don’t let the slicing dissuade you from giving this fine dish a try, it’s easier than you think.
Ingredients
- 6 medium sweet potatoes, well-cleaned and skin on
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, finely minced
- Optional: Parmesan and freshly chopped parsley, for serving
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Slice ¼” lengthwise off bottom of each sweet potato so it has a flat base and won’t wobble.
- Place a sweet potato lengthwise between two wooden chopsticks or the handles of two wooden kitchen spoons (will be used to guide how far down your slices go). Make ¼” slices about three quarters of the way through – until the knife touches the wooden handles – from end to end. Repeat.
- In a small bowl, combine butter, maple syrup, salt, garlic and herbs. Brush half of the mixture over sweet potatoes and them in the oven to bake.
- After 30 minutes, remove from oven and gently use a fork to spread sweet potatoes open further from the top. Brush the rest of the butter mixture on top and return to oven for another 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven, cool slightly. Top with optional toppings before serving.