Hasselback Potato Skillet Bake
A perfect side dish that can also be served as an alternative to hash browns for breakfast.
A perfect side dish that can also be served as an alternative to hash browns for breakfast.
- Carbohydrate 0.67256 g
- Cholesterol 40.7066666666667 mg
- Fat 15.3668266666667 g
- Fiber 0.0419999980926514 g
- Protein 0.288133333333333 g
- Saturated Fat 9.72745466666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (21g)
- Sodium 54.1 mg
- Sugar 0.630560001907349 g
- Trans Fat 1.07805466666666 g
- Calories 139 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 425º F.
- Scrub the potatoes thoroughly and remove all the hard bits from the skin, as the skins will be left on.
- Slice one thin layer off each potato, along the length, then set aside. This serves as a solid base to rest on while you slice them. Place a potato flat side-down and use a sharp knife to make slices that are about 1/8-inch apart; slice into the potato but not completely through it -- the slices should stay connected at the bottom. (Tip: Place a chopstick on either side of the potato so that you hit the chopstick before slicing all the way through.) Carefully fan out the sliced pieces without breaking them apart. Repeat with each potato.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, and minced herbs. Set aside.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom and sides of a cast iron skillet and each potato with the garlic-herb butter mixture. Brush the potatoes generously, making sure to get in-between each slice. Reserve 1/3 of the garlic-herb butter for basting. Nestle the potatoes into the skillet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (if using) and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Bake for 1 hour -- basting the potatoes every 15 minutes with the remaining garlic-herb butter -- or until tender on the inside and crisp on the outside.
Starch selection dictates the structural integrity of this skillet bake because waxy tubers like Yukon Golds hold thin cuts without collapsing whereas russets release excess starch and fall apart. Selecting narrow, elongated specimens ensures even spacing inside a round cast iron pan. Placing wooden chopsticks parallel to the potato prevents the knife from severing the base during the crucial one-eighth inch slicing phase.
Dairy substitutions alter browning dynamics significantly since plant-based margarines lack the milk solids necessary for deep caramelization at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Olive oil functions as a direct one-to-one volume replacement for melted butter, though hard cheeses like nutritional yeast or aged pecorino must be monitored closely to prevent bitter burning during the final fifteen minutes of the sixty-minute bake time.
Cast iron retention properties guarantee the bottom crust achieves adequate crunch without requiring a preliminary boiling stage. Brushing fat deeply between individual lamellae permits the convection heat to fry the interior walls rather than merely steaming them, resulting in contrasting textures.
Acidity cuts through the heavy butter profile effectively when served alongside roasted pork loin or bitter green salads dressed in sharp vinegar. Pairing heavy starches with lean proteins balances the overall plate weight without masking the herb aromatics embedded within the potato folds.
