Potatoes | RecipeTin Eats

Brie Dauphinoise Potatoes

Nagi — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

I am so excited to share this Brie Dauphinoise Potatoes because it ticks a lot of boxes! Feel good food with wow-factor that’s knee-knockingly delicious, straight forward, great for make-ahead and not that expensive. The perfect potato side dish for special occasions!

Potato Dauphinoise – elevated

I used to think classic Potato Dauphinoise was the ultimate potato bake But then we plonked brie on it, baked it, and it catapulted into another stratosphere! Because brie trumps ordinary cheese every day of the week, and twice on special occasions.

Think: melt-in-your-mouth layers of thinly sliced potato bubbling away in a butter-cream sauce perfumed with just the right amount of garlic and thyme. Already great.

But then we place brie on top, cut face down, and pop it back in the oven until it melts and oozes all over the surface and seeps down the sides. Incredible.

And then – you cut into the brie skins to discover pockets of gooey brie underneath. Your eyes widen, your face splits into a huge grin, you do a little happy dance and you scoop up way, way more than your fair share.

You know I’m describing myself here. Though I’d wager this describes you too, when you make this!!

Love the visual impact of the mini brie on the surface!

Mini brie from Woolworths cost $.280 each

Ingredients in Brie Dauphinoise Potatoes

This recipe is actually a simplified version of tartiflette which is a potato bake from the French Alps. It’s baked with Reblochon cheese on top, one of those pungent washed rind cheeses which I haven’t seen here in Australia. So we’re going with good ole’ brie in our version! Here’s what you need:

1. Mini bries

This recipe calls for 3 x small brie that are 8 cm/3.2″ wide weighing 125g / 4oz each. I use the Woolworths brand one which are $2.80 each. Don’t bother with artisan brie, it’s wasted for this dish!

If you’re looking at this photo for size context – remember, I have small hands. 😂

Small bries work well because once split in half, 3 small ones almost fully cover the surface of a 1.5 litre / 1.5 quart (6 cup) baking dish in which the potato dauphinoise is baked. The idea behind using small ones is that the skin of the cheese sort of contains some of the cheese inside even once fully melted, so you get an impressive ooze when you cut into it.

However, if you can’t find the small ones, just use two larger ones. I’d keep them whole so the skin holds some of the cheese underneath because honestly, that is one of the great things about this dish. 🥰

Brie vs camembert – Camembert will work just as well, it’s just that brie is richer (~65% fat v 45%).

2. The potato bake part

These are the same ingredients as classic Dauphinoise Potatoes excluding shredded cheese. Because even the self confessed Cheese Queen admits that’d be too much cheese!

Potatoes – We want to use starchy potatoes for potato bakes like this so they break down and become soft and fluffy, rather than slippery like waxy potatoes do. It’s so disappointing when you cut through the molten cheesy topping only to find the potato slices are sliding all over the place (from the vivid description, you can guess I’ve made that mistake!).
Australia – Sebago (those dirt brushed potatoes) are ideal. US – Russet, and UK – King Edward or Maris Piper are perfect. Or any other starchy potatoes – Dutch creams, King Edwards or red delight.
Cream – Thickened or heavy cream work best, otherwise any full fat cream. This is the sauce in Dauphinoise that makes the potatoes so deliciously creamy.
Garlic and butter – Mixed into the cream for deliciously buttery garlicky flavour in the creamy sauce.
Fresh thyme – Scattered on each layer of potatoes, fresh thyme adds the most beautiful hint of herby flavour. Dried thyme really isn’t the same. But if you really can’t get fresh, just use dried (half the quantity as dried is more intense than fresh).
Salt and pepper – For scattering on the layers as you assemble.

How to make Brie Dauphinoise Potatoes

The part that is a bit finicky is slicing the potatoes thinly though if you’ve got a mandolin you’ll make short work of it. Other than that, this is breeze to make!

Cut the brie in half horizontally to form 2 rounds. Do this while fridge cold, it’s easier (cutting gooey room temperature brie is a mess!).
Cream sauce – Mix the cream, butter and garlic in a jug.

Slice the potatoes using a mandolin (if you’ve got it), else, sharpen your knife and get to work!
Layer one third of the potatoes in a 1.5 litre / 6 cup baking dish. Pour over one-third of the cream (make sure you scoop up some of the garlic settled at the base too) then sprinkle with one third of the thyme, salt and pepper.

Repeat twice more, using up all the cream, thyme, salt and pepper, so you have 3 layers in total.
Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the potatoes are basically done ie. soft (use a butter knife to test in the centre).
I know that sounds like a long time, and yours might be faster especially if you use a larger baking dish so the potatoes are not stacked as deep as mine. But for me, it consistently takes 80 minutes! The potatoes won’t get much softer during the 30 minute brie melting time, they just enjoy bubbling away in the melty brie.

Brie – Remove the foil. Place brie on top, cut face down.
Bake for a further 30 minutes or until the melted brie is bubbling and the edges are golden. Rest 5 minutes then serve!

Pictured with Pomegranate Spinach Salad and inhaled as dinner!

It’s a side….it’s a meal!

You know I’m pitching this to you as a side dish. There are rumblings in the RecipeTin family WhatsApp thread that this needs to make an appearance on Christmas Day alongside the Seafood Platter which would go so well – think, light, cold seafood with warm oozy potato dauphinoise. YES!!!

But I exaggerate not when I say I’ve been inhaling bowls of this as a meal with a leafy side salad. It’s pictured above with an on-point holiday appropriate Pomegranate Salad (it’s got candied walnuts!). And not 5 minutes ago, I finished making the recipe video and it was dinner with this Rocket Salad on the side.

Making ahead – and leftovers

And lastly, just letting you know this is a make-ahead beauty! Assemble and bake for the covered part. Refrigerate, then finish baking it on the day with the brie on top.

In the event you are fortunate enough to have leftovers, I strongly suggest hiding the dish at the back of the fridge so you can enjoy leftovers without sharing. Or do as I suggested to a friend – cover with foil and label as RAW CHICKEN (to deter teenage boys). It works. 😈 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Brie Potato Dauphinoise (Gratin)

Recipe video above. I used to think classic Potato Dauphinoise was the ultimate potato bake But then we plonked brie on it and it catapulted into another stratosphere! Because brie trumps ordinary cheese every day of the week, and twice on special occasions .

Mini brie are good value at grocery stores ($2.80 each), expensive ones are wasted for this purpose. Also, this is great for making ahead.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine French

Keyword Dauphinoise Potatoes, Potato Bake, potato casserole, Potatoes au Gratin

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 50

Total Time 1 45

Servings people

Calories 334cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups thickened / heavy cream , full fat – or just pure cream (Note 1)
2 garlic cloves , finely minced
30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
1.25 kg / 2.5 lb starchy potatoes (Aus: Sebago dirt brushed, US: Russet, UK: Maris Piper) (Note 2)
1 tsp cooking / kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp thyme leaves , fresh (optional – but highly recommended, Note 3)
3 x 125g / 4oz small brie (8cm / 3.2" wide) , fridge cold, cut in half horizontally (or camembert) (Note 4)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Cream Mixture: Place butter, cream and garlic in a jug. Mix until combined.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (both fan and standard ovens).
Slice potatoes: Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8"/3 mm thick. Or use a slicer!
Layer 1: Spread 1/3 of the potatoes in a 1.5 litre / 6 cup baking dish (Note 5). Then pour over 1/3 of the Cream Mixture, scatter with 1/3 of the salt, pepper and thyme.
Layers 2 & 3: Repeat for the 2nd and third layer.
Cover & bake: Cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the potatoes in the middle are soft (use knife to test), it might take 1 1/2 hours. (Note 6)
Top with brie, bake again: Remove foil. Place brie on the surface, cut side down. Bake for a further 30 minutes until the brie is oozy and the edges tinged with gold.
Serve – Stand 5 minutes before serving and be prepared to swoon!

Notes

1. Cream – For a lighter version, use light fat, or US half and half (or use 1/2 cream, half milk). But it won’t have the same rich mouthfeel. Don’t try this with just milk.

2. Potatoes – Australia: Use Sebago (“dirt” potatoes, sold everywhere), US: Russet, UK: King Edward or Maris Piper

OR any other starchy potatoes. Dutch creams, King Edwards or red delight. Great all rounders like golden delight, coliban and red rascal are also great.

3. Thyme – Really try to get fresh for this special dish. But if you can’t, use 1 tsp dried thyme and crush it between your fingers to powder it up slightly, it will release a bit of extra flavour.

4. Brie – No need to get expensive ones, I use the Woolworths brand one (125g/4oz, 8cm / 3″ diameter) which are $2.80 each. Camembert also works but brie is richer with a higher fat content ~65% v 45% for camembert.

Cut when fridge cold, it’s easier because it’s firmer.

Small brie works best because 3 cut in half will cover the surface nicely, and the skin sort of holds some of the oozy cheese in though some will ooze out and spread across the surface and seep down the sides.

If you can’t get small, just use 2 larger ones.

5. Baking Dish Size – I use a 1.5L / 1.5 Qt / 6 cup, 18 x 26 cm x 5 cm / 7 x 11 x 2″ oval shape, or thereabouts but it’s full to the brim so a slightly larger one would be more ideal. A 26 cm / 11″ skillet also works great. A 20cm/8″ square pan is too small. Larger dish is fine – just means the potatoes au gratin isn’t as deep

6. Baking time – Will differ depending on shape of dish, depth of potatoes, heat retention of baking dish, reliability of oven etc, 1 hour 20 minutes covered is consistently the time for me. Also, if you cut potatoes thicker (accidentally or on-purpose), they will take longer to cook.

7. Make ahead: Near perfect for make ahead! Bake covered with the foil until the potatoes are fully cooked (it might take 1 1/2 hours). Cool uncovered on counter then refrigerate covered. Remove from fridge 2 hours prior. Warm in the oven covered in foil for 15 minutes, plonk the brie on then bake uncovered 30 minutes.

To speed things up you can microwave it then pop it in the oven (this is dense so takes quite a while to reheat in the oven, depends on depth of baking dish you use).

Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition assumes 10 servings.

Nutrition

More potato sides I love

Potatoes au Gratin (Dauphinoise)

Make-ahead Mashed Potato Casserole

Easy Creamy Cheesy Potato Bake

Browned Butter Savoury Sweet Potato Casserole

Spiral Sweet Potato Bake

Twice Baked Potatoes (Stuffed Jacket Potatoes)

Potato Recipes

Life of Dozer

Figuring out the Advent calendar….

Figured it out!

The post Brie Dauphinoise Potatoes appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Fondant potatoes

Nagi — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Fondant potatoes – or Melting Potatoes – are potatoes baked in a buttery herb infused broth so it absorbs the flavour and becomes meltingly tender inside. A restaurant-y way to cook potatoes that’s easy yet looks impressive! Excellent dinner party side dish.

Fondant potatoes aka Melting potatoes

Today’s recipe is a sublime example of turning the humble potato into a very fine-dining worthy potato side dish. Putting the shaping part aside (which is entirely optional, we’ll get to that), it’s incredibly straight forward. Just brown neat cylinders/thick wonky slabs of potato on the stove, add stock, thyme and butter then bake so it absorbs the flavour.

The result? Crispy edges, golden surfaces, creamy and flavoured all the way through inside, with intense herb infused-buttery sauce that’s thickened from the natural starches in the potato. This might be my favourite potato recipe of all time!

Ingredients in fondant potatoes

Here’s what you need to make fondant potatoes:

Potato type – All-rounder and floury / starchy potatoes are best because they absorb flavour better than waxy potatoes, and become beautifully fluffy and soft inside. The most common potatoes at regular stores should be fine – they’re stocked because they’re great all-rounders.
Australia – Sebago (the dirt brushed potatoes sold everywhere) are perfect, Desiree are great too. US: Russet, UK: King Edward.
Butter – Unsalted, cut into cubes so they melt evenly. If you don’t, some of the butter will likely burn before it all melts. This is for basting. We use oil for searing the potatoes (butter burns and doesn’t brown the potatoes as evenly).
Stock/broth – Chicken stock adds the best flavour in my opinion, because it has more savouriness than vegetable stock and is “cleaner” than beef stock. However, vegetable stock is the next best. Though really, this recipe will work with any type of stock.
Thyme – Fresh thyme sprigs work best to infuse the butter / stock with flavour. But you can substitute with dried thyme though you will end up with little thyme bits stuck on your potato.

How to cut fondant potatoes

Choose from pro level to easy – or skip it entirely! Just peel potatoes then cut into thick slabs. It will taste just as good!

GOAL SIZE & PREP

Goal: 8 cylinders that are ~ 6cm/ 2.4″ diameter, 3.5 cm / 1.4″ height, 2 each cut from 4 potatoes (ie cut 4 long cylinders then cut to size).
Trim base – For all methods, the first step is to peel the potatoes then trim a bit off the top and bottom so it stands upright. It just makes it easier to handle.

1. PRO-LEVEL CARVING

For knife masters! This is method will achieve the smoothest edges.

Lie the potato on its side then carve, peeling curved strips to make a cylinder shape.
Keep going, carving thinner and thinner slices until you have a uniform cylinder.

2. INTERMEDIATE: UPRIGHT KNIFE SHAVING

Stand the potato upright. Then cut thin slivers down, rotating as you go, until you have a cylinder shape with edges are as smooth as you can make them. At first, mine are a bit octagon-shaped. Then I just keep trimming thin slivers off the sharp edges to smooth it out.

TIP: Use the back of a knife (ie the non-sharp side) and scrape down the sides of the potato to make the walls neat.

3. eASY: POTATO PEELER

Use a potato peeler to shave strips off the sides, rotating as you go, to shape it into a cylinder as best you can. I find this a little more difficult to make a uniform cylinder shape than using a knife because I find I have less control over how much I shave off with each peel. Also, peeling straight is a little harder.

4. EASY: ROUND CUTTER

Use a 6cm / 2.4″ (or as close as possible) cutter to pop rounds out. The easiest way to do this is to cut 3.5 cm / 1.4″ thick slices then press a round out of each. If your cutter is not tall enough, then use a knife to help trim / pull the excess away (I demo this in the video).

5. JUST DON’T!!

Just cut the potato into 3.5 cm / 1.4″ thick slices and cook per the recipe. It tastes the same, the potato pieces just won’t be perfect rounds (unless you’re lucky!). You won’t need all the potatoes because your pieces will be bigger (unless you use smaller potatoes). Just use enough to fill the pan around the same amount as pictured. Don’t be tempted to squeeze more in because there won’t be enough stock to flavour the inside of the potatoes.

How to make fondant potatoes

Cutting part done, the cooking part is EASY!

Season – Toss the potatoes in a little oil with salt and pepper.
Brown potatoes – Then brown them on the stove using an oven-proof skillet. I use my 26cm / 10.5″ Lodge cast iron pan. It will take a good 6 to 8 minutes on each side to make them golden, on medium high heat. Move them around as needed to brown them as evenly as possible.
Butter – Add the butter and thyme, then spoon the melted butter over the potatoes.
Stock – Pour the stock in and let it come to a boil.

Bake – Transfer the skillet into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, basting the potato with the buttery stock at the 15 minute mark (ie spooning the sauce over the potatoes). In this step, the potatoes are absorbing the stock which flavours the inside and makes it “meltingly” soft.
Ready! At the end of the bake time, there should be virtually no stock left in the pan, just butter. Because potatoes can’t absorb fat. The butter will be slightly thickened thanks to the starch in the potatoes, making a glossy sauce that clings to the potatoes when you spoon it over.
To serve, transfer the potatoes to individual plates or a serving platter for people to help themselves. And pour over every drop of the buttery sauce!

Fondant potatoes & steak with Bearnaise Sauce

What to serve with fondant potatoes

I feel like it would be easier to say what not to serve with fondant potatoes. With the subtle thyme flavour, I wouldn’t serve this with Asian food. But without the thyme, it would be a delicious side dish for Char Sui Pork (Chinese BBQ Pork), Sticky Honey Soy Baked Chicken or a grand Miso Marinated side of salmon !

Asian food aside, this is an elegant, beautiful potato side dish for special occasions. It’s pictured in this post alongside steak with Béarnaise Sauce (it’s so easy!) with last weeks’ Garlic Peas. It would elevate a simple Chicken in Creamy Mustard Sauce to company-worthy, or add a luxurious side to a simple pan fried fish sprinkled with seafood seasoning.

Chicken in Creamy Mustard Sauce

Standing Rib Roast (Prime Rib)

Fish Seasoning (great all-rounder)

Roast Chicken

Japanese Miso Salmon (Barbecue or Bake)

You could also cook this in the oven at the same time as a roast chicken or a grand prime rib (standing rib roast). Just put the potatoes in for the last 35 minutes cooking time, factoring in the resting time. Err on the side of caution so the potatoes are done earlier because they can be reheated simply by popping the skillet back in the oven for 5 minutes (from room temperature, it will take longer from fridge cold).

Or, just do as I do and eat them by themselves. You know I did. The only question is, how many? TAKE A GUESS! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

OF COURSE Dozer got some!!! I just forgot to edit that in, concentrating too hard on getting the new-style video edits right. Everybody knows Dozer is the most food-spoiled dog in the world!!!😂

Fondant Potatoes (Melting potatoes)

Recipe video above. Golden on the outside and meltingly tender inside (hence the name!), infused with flavour from roasting in a buttery stock. Lovely, elegant way to cook potatoes, very restaurant-y!

If you're in a hurry, don't worrying about shaping into cylinders. Just cut thick slabs of potato (whatever shape they happen to be!) and cook per the recipe. Or, just use a potato peeler to shape as best you can. It will still taste just as good!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Western

Keyword fondant potatoes, melting potatoes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 149cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

4 x 400g/14 oz large floury potatoes , peeled (Aus: Sebago (dirt brushed), US: Russet, UK: King Edward)
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp / 50g unsalted butter , cut into 1cm / 1/2″ cubes
6 thyme sprigs (sub 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
1 cup chicken stock / broth , low sodium (or vegetable)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan-forced).
Carve / cut each potato into cylinders ~ 6cm/ 2" diameter, 7 cm height. Then cut in half so you have 8 short cylinders 3.5 cm / 1.4" tall. See cutting method options below.
Season – Pat potato dry. Place in a large bowl and toss with half the oil plus all the salt and pepper.
Sear – In an ovenproof heavy based skillet (Note 2), heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat. Put the potato in and cook each side for 6 – 8 minutes or until golden.
Cook – Add butter and thyme. Once melted, spoon the butter over the potato ("basting"). Add stock, bring to a boil then transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender, basting at the 15 minute mark. The stock will be absorbed by the potato, leaving just butter.
Serve – Baste one more time then serve! For a restaurant-y option, serve alongside steak with béarnaise sauce and buttered peas.

Cutting method options (see video for demo of each):

Prep for all methods – Trim a bit off both ends so the potato stands upright. Once carved into a tall cylinder 6cm/ 2" diameter, at least 7cm/3" height, so we can cut into 3.5 cm / 1.4" tall pieces. Save leftover potato to make mash (keep in water to prevent turning brown).
Pro method – Lie potato on its side and use a knife to carve around to form a cylinder.
Intermediate (I do this)– Stand potato upright and use a knife to shave thin slivers down, rotating as needed, to carve into a cylinder. You can use a potato peeler for some of this too (just be a bit careful, less control).
Easy – Use 6cm/ 2" (or as close as possible) wide cutters to press rounds out!
Easy potato peeler – Use a potato peeler to shape as best you can, rotating as you go.
Doesn't matter! – Just cut potatoes into 3.5cm / 1.4" thick slices! Even if your rounds are not so round, it will still taste delicious. Only cut enough to fill the pan, as pictured, else you'll have too much potato for the stock being used (flavour dilution),

Notes

1. Potato type – Floury potatoes best as they absorb the stock flavour better and become meltingly tender inside (waxy potatoes don’t work as well).

Size – They need to be large so you can cut 2 x 3.5cm / 1.4″ tall cylinders from each.

2. Cooking vessel – I use my Lodge cast iron skillet (26cm / 10.5″). My #2 most valued kitchen item!

Leftovers will keep for 4 days or freeze for 3 months, though these are at their prime freshly made!

Nutrition per potato, assuming every drop of butter is mopped up.

Nutrition

More fabulous potato sides!

And some no-fuss Monday nights ones too. (Like Easy Roast Potatoes).

Easy Roast Potatoes

Duck Fat Potatoes – Crispiest, Best Roast Potatoes EVER!

Greek Lemon Potatoes

Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Creamy Buttery Mashed Potato

Paris Mash (Rich Creamy Mashed Potato)

Make-ahead Mashed Potato Casserole

Potato Recipes

Life of Dozer

Memories of ALL the food he got during the making of Dinner!

The post Fondant potatoes appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Hasselback potatoes

Nagi — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Regular baked spuds are good. Hasselback potatoes are awesome! Soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, basted with garlic rosemary olive oil. This is roast potato perfection!

Hasselback potatoes talk

Everybody talks about how tips and tricks to avoid accidentally cutting the way through (easy – chopsticks or spatula on either side of the potato!). Why doesn’t anyone talk about the other things that matter for hasselback success?? Namely:

Fanning is key! For good hasselback potatoes, you need the slices to fan out as they bake so you can drip salty oil/fat between the slices and crispy edges. Without fanning, you end up with regular old roast spuds!
For fanning, you need thin slices (2mm is ideal), to cut down far enough (1cm / 0.4″ from base) and oval shaped potatoes work better than round ones. If you don’t cut down far enough, you will not get fanning! And thick slices don’t fan as well as thin slices (you can see in my photos the thin ones fan out more).
Basting is also key. Baste, baste, baste to encourage fanning (dragging the brush across the surface helps separate the slices) and to drip tasty salted oil between the potato slices.

And with that, let’s get onto what you want to know – how to make great hasselback potatoes!

What you need

You really only need potatoes, oil and salt to make hasselback potatoes. Garlic and rosemary are optional, but they do infuse the oil with lovely flavour that gets brushed onto the potato.

Potato type – All-rounder and floury / starchy potatoes are best. The most common potatoes at regular stores will be fine – they’re stocked because they’re great all-rounders.
Australia – Sebago (the dirt brushed potatoes sold everywhere) are perfect, Desiree are great too. US: Yukon Gold, russet, UK: Maris piper, King Edward.
Waxy potatoes do work, but the cut surface gets kind of slippery which doesn’t really appeal to me.
Potato size and shape – Look for potatoes around 250g/8oz that are a nice even oval shape rather than round. These will fan out better to allow the oil and salt to drip between the slices.
If the potatoes are too small (like baby potatoes) then the inside will get too soft before the edges crisp up. And while in theory, you can make much larger ones, it will be a little harder to get the inside cooked without the edges of the thin slices burning.
Garlic and rosemary are optional. These infuse the oil with a little flavour which is then brushed onto the potatoes. But the flavour is subtle.
Olive oil – You can make hasselback potatoes with any fat, though oils will make the potatoes crisper than butter (because butter contains ~20% water). So if you do want to use some melted butter for brushing, I’d recommend still using olive oil for most of the baking time then use butter towards the end.

The easiest way to cut hasselback potatoes

So here’s a step by step of my easy way to cut hasselback potatoes – by using a spatula or chopsticks which makes it impossible to accidentally cut all the way through. But, as noted above, it’s also important to ensure you cut through enough, to allow the potatoes to fan out. So make sure your spatula / chopstick is no thicker than 1cm / 0.4″!

Stable base – Firstly, cut a thin slice off the base so the potato will sit flat and stable.
Cutting guide – Place the potato between the hands of 2 spatulas or chopsticks (or similar), no thicker than 1cm / 0.4″.
In action! See? See how the spatula stops the knife from cutting all the way through? Perfect!
Slice THINLY – Aim for 2mm slices. Thin slices = fans out when baking = crispy edges and getting oil / salt between the slices! (Cutting through far enough is also key to this).
Hasselbacked – Here it is! Run your fingers across the surface and admire your handiwork!

Wonky cuts? Accidentally cut all the way through? Who cares! It’s still going to be delicious – and still going to trump regular plain boring roast spuds.

Baking hasselback potatoes

Cutting part done – time to bake. This part is easy, but the basting steps are critical!

Rub with a little oil (just 1 1/2 teaspoons shared between all 5) then salt. Not much at this stage!
Bake 1 – Bake at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan) for 30 minutes. This first bake is to get the potato slices to start opening up so we can get salt and oil in between.
Oil & salt – Then pour 1/4 cup olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt. Only so much will fall between the slices at this stage, we will coax more flavour in when we baste!
Bake 2 – Return to the oven with the garlic and the rosemary for a further 40 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through, basting with the oil on the tray every 10 minutes (see below). The bake time will be shorter if you use smaller potatoes (I use 250g/8oz).

Basting – For the basting, squidge a brush into the oil on the tray.
Brush with intention! Then drag the brush across the surface of the potato, using a little pressure to coax the potato slices apart so salty oil drips down between the slices. Basting is key for hasselback awesomeness, so don’t shortcut this step!

Golden crispness! Crank up the oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C). Then return the potatoes into the oven or a further 10 to 15 minutes to make them extra golden and crispy on the edges.
Sprinkle with a little salt flakes if you want (I want!) then devour while hot and crispy.

And with that, I have imparted all my hasselback making learnings to you.

Serve while hot and crispy, with a sprinkle of salt flakes and some fresh rosemary sprigs for decoration, if so desired. And while leftovers will keep for a few days, there really is nothing like hasselbacks fresh out of the oven! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Accidentally threw the garlic and rosemary onto the tray at the beginning instead of partway through! Best to add at the 30 minute mark, otherwise they get very, very toasted. (aka. burnt)

Hasselback potatoes

Recipe video above. Soft on the inside and crispy on the edges, brushed with garlic rosemary olive oil! Hasselback success relies on thin slices so they fan out as they bake, allowing oil and salt to drip in between with crispy edges. Otherwise, they end up like regular roast spuds!

Making sure you cut through enough and using oval shaped spuds also help to ensure they fan out properly.

Worried about your knife skills? Don't! So what if your slices are irregular or a little too thick? Wonky hasselbacks still trump regular roast spuds every day of the week.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine swedish, Western

Keyword hasselback potatoes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 20

Servings – 6

Author Nagi

Ingredients

5 – 6 x 250g / 8oz potatoes , oval shaped regular or floury, scrubbed clean (Aus: Sebago (dirt brushed), desiree, US: Yukon Gold, russet, UK: Maris piper, King Edward, Note 1)
1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Basting:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (Note 2)
4 garlic cloves , skin on, smashed (optional) (Note 3)
3 rosemary sprigs (optional but recommended) (Note 3)

Instructions

Shortform recipe:

Hasselback slice 2mm thick. Rub/sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp oil and 1/4 tsp salt.
Bake 200°C/400°F (180°C fan) for 30 min. Pour over oil, sprinkle with salt, throw garlic and rosemary on tray. Bake further 40 min, basting generously every 10 min (getting oil between slices key), until cooked. Crank up to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan), baste, bake 10 – 15 min until extra golden.

Full recipe:

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced).
Cut prep – Cut a thin slice off the base of a potato to make it sit flat while cutting. Place the potato between 2 wooden spatulas or chopsticks (no thicker than 1cm / 0.4" – Note 4), to make it impossible for you to accidentally cut all the way through!
THIN slices – Cut the potato into very thin slices, aiming for 2 mm. The cuts on the edges of the potato can be slightly thicker as the edges bake up crisper. (Note 4 for tips)
Rub – Drizzle each potato the 1 1/2 tsp oil then sprinkle/rub with the 1/4 tsp salt (ie share across all).

Baking:

Bake 1 – Place the potatoes on a tray. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from oven.
Baste 1 – The potato slices should be slightly less "stuck" together at this stage. Pour the 1/4 cup olive oil over the potatoes then sprinkle the salt evenly over. The salt gets spread later, so don't worry if it looks like a lot! Throw the garlic and rosemary on the tray.
Baking/basting – Bake the potatoes for another 40 minutes, basting with the oil on the tray every 10 minutes. Brush with a bit of pressure across the surface of the potatoes to encourage the oil and salt to drip down. Once oil gets between the slices, they will fan out more and more.
CRISP IT! – Once the potatoes are soft in the centre (check with knife), turn the oven UP to 220°C/425°F (200°C). Baste the potatoes again then bake for a further 10 – 15 minutes until the edges are nice and golden. I am quite bold with this step, many others do not seek as much crispy edges.
Serve immediately while hot and the edges are crispy! Peeling off those end bits are the BEST.

Notes

1. Potatoes – All-rounder and floury / starchy potatoes are best. The most common potatoes at regular stores will be fine – they’re stocked because they’re great all-rounders. Oval shape fans out better than round ones.

Australia – Sebago (the dirt brushed potatoes sold everywhere) are perfect, Desiree are great too. US: Yukon Gold, russet, UK: Maris piper, King Edward.

2. Salt – it will look like a lot when you sprinkle but it gets spread when basting, all over the potato and between the slices.

3. Smash garlic by putting side of knife against it and hitting with palm of hand to make it burst open but mostly hold together. Releases garlic flavour into oil without ending up with lots of burnt black bits.

No herbs? Still worth making as the flavour is subtle. Thyme or sage would also work well. But, use fresh! Little bits of dry herbs will just burn.

4. Hasselback success relies on thin slices so they fan out more as they bake so salty oil drips down between the slices and you get crispy edges. Ensuring you cut through enough also factors into this (hence why I say the spatula / chopstick should not be thicker than 1cm / 0.4″).

But don’t fret if you are struggling! You can coax them open when basting – just apply a little pressure as you brush across the top and it will coax them open slightly. Last resort – use a butter knife to pry them open. Once a little oil gets between two slices of potato, it prevents them from sticking together again.

5. Leftovers will keep for 3 days but they will not be like the golden crispy masterpiece that you pulled hot out of the oven.

6. Nutrition per serving, takes into account an estimation of the oil remaining on the tray.

Life of Dozer

12 month anniversary of Dinner. What a ride it’s been! Thank you for being a part of it. None of this would have been possible without you! – Nagi & Dozer x

(PS Yes that’s a smear of flour on the side of my face. OF COURSE.)

And the only thing Dozer cares about is whether there’s anything edible in this enormous, most obnoxious bunch of flowers my publisher Pan Macmillan sent me to celebrate the day!!

The post Hasselback potatoes appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Easy Roast Potatoes

Nagi — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 06:00:00 +0000

This is my everyday roast potatoes recipe. I use baby potatoes so it’s quick prep (no peeling). Great garlic-thyme flavour. Fresh herbs really are lovely, though dried can be used in a pinch! Don’t make the mistake of using minced garlic. It burns!

My everyday roast potatoes

I have a recipe for devilishly good crispy roast potatoes. They are the roast potatoes everybody dreams about, with a thick craggy crust that stays crispy for ages.

But they are not Monday night potatoes. They are reserved for when I’m out to impress.

Today’s roast potato recipe is what I make in my day to day life. Low effort yet utterly delicious, with a lovely golden outsides, soft insides, infused with beautiful garlic-thyme flavours.

Serve with everything!

What you need

Here’s what you need:

Potatoes – Use any small potatoes that can be cooked with the skin on. Baby potatoes, cocktail potatoes, new potatoes, red potatoes, creamer potatoes!
My ideal potato size is ~ 4cm/1.6″ which is a nice (big) bite size once cut in half. Half is ideal because there’s only one cut face to make golden (remember, this is my easy roast potatoes recipe!). If it’s much larger, cut into 3 pieces but just be mindful that you won’t get a very good golden colour on more than one cut face.
Garlic – Whole, unpeeled, with the skin on. We’re going to smash them with the side of our knife to make them burst open but remain (mostly) in one piece. Why not use minced garlic? Because it burns. And burnt garlic is bitter. Not pleasant!
You will be surprised how much garlic flavour is imparted from smashed garlic. Your house will smell amazing.
Thyme or rosemary sprigs – Thyme is my default but rosemary is also lovely. If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can use dried. But toss it in halfway through the roasting time, else it will burn.
Olive oil – Just your everyday cooking oil. No need to crank out the good stuff, reserve that for salad dressings!

Potato roasting words of wisdom

It really does take an hour. Don’t shortcut it. Nobody likes underdone potatoes!
Only toss once – the potatoes need undisturbed time to go golden.
If your potatoes are stuck, don’t force them and rip the crust off! They will loosen naturally when ready.
You can use baking paper if you want…..but full contact with metal gives the best colour and crispiness!

How to make easy roast potatoes

Toss potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper. I just do this on the tray, because why create more washing up? Then toss through garlic and thyme.
Roast for 30 minutes at 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced).
Toss – Remove from oven, then toss. If any are stuck, leave them. They will release when ready!
PRO TIP: Arrange the less golden cut sides facedown on the tray as they will get the best colour during the 2nd baking time.
Roast for a further 25 to 35 minutes. Toss again then pile onto serving plate and serve!

I don’t need to tell you what to serve with roast potatoes.

But what I do want to tell you is what I do with leftovers! I find roast potatoes get a bit sad and soggy when left overnight in the fridge. So I like to transform them into stovetop crispy smashed potatoes. Just lightly press down on the potatoes to flatten slightly (but still stay in once piece) using a glass, your hand or a spatula. Then pan fry in a little oil until golden and crisp.

HOW GOOD DO THESE LOOK???

Frankly, it’s worth making a batch of these roast potatoes just so you can do the smashed potatoes!! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Easy roast potatoes

Recipe video above. This is my everyday roast potatoes recipe. No-nonsense, quick to prep, with great garlic-thyme flavour. Fresh herbs are lovely, though dried can be used in a pinch. Don't make the mistake of using minced garlic. It burns!

Serve with everything.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Western

Keyword Baby potatoes, new potatoes, roast potatoes

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1

Servings – 6 as a side

Calories 255cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1 kg/ 2 lb baby potatoes or other small potatoes, halved (Note 1)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
5 garlic cloves with skin on , smashed (Note 2)
5 thyme sprigs or 3 rosemary sprigs (Note 3 for dried herbs)

Optional garnish

Finely chopped parsley or fresh thyme (optional)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan).
Smashed garlic – Place side of knife on unpeeled garlic clove. Hit firmly with palm of hand so the garlic bursts open a bit but mostly stays in tact.
Toss – Put potatoes on a tray and push together. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Toss through thyme and garlic. Spread out on tray.
Roast 1 hour – Roast for 30 minutes. Toss. Roast for a further 25 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden. (Note 4 for stuck potatoes & golden TIPS!)
Serve – Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately!

Notes

1. Potatoes – Ideal potato size ~ 4cm/1.6″. Use any small potatoes that can be cooked with the skin on. Baby potatoes, cocktail potatoes, new potatoes, red potatoes, creamer potatoes! Cut larger ones into 3 or 4 so they are all roughly the same size (shape doesn’t matter).

2. Smashed garlic – This method of smashing opening garlic releases garlic flavour into the potatoes as they roast but keeps the garlic whole so it won’t burn like minced garlic does.

3. Dried herbs (thyme, rosemary) can be used if you don’t have fresh. But add them halfway through the roasting time else it will burn. Use 1 tsp or so.

4. TIPS:

Potatoes stuck? Don’t worry! If some potatoes are adhered to the tray, don’t fret, it means the crust hasn’t formed. Just leave it, rather than ripping the crust off. It will release when ready!
Golden tip: If you can be bothered, arrange pale sides of potatoes facedown onto the tray for the last 30 minutes. The side of potatoes facedown on the tray will become extra golden.

5. Leftovers will last for 3 days in the fridge but there’s nothing quite like freshly made roast potatoes! I like to revive leftovers but flattening them slightly then pan frying to reheat and make crisp.

Nutrition per serving assuming this serves 5.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

Dozer on a mini break! Staying in a lovely rustic converted church near the Colo River, only 90 minutes from home. So close – yet feels so far! Wait until you see the kitchen. #goals

The post Easy Roast Potatoes appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.