Last year I published my recipe for hasselback potatoes which are a show-stopping alternative to classic roasties. They’re a great accompaniment to any meal but the only trouble is that they take quite a while to cook so they’re usually reserved for weekends.

Not so any more, friends, as I have discovered the trick to make perfect half-time hasselbacks!

This recipe gets you delicious hasselbacks in less than half the time – just in time for those winter warmer dinners you’re going to be needing soon!

I N G R E D I E N T S

• 3-4 new potatoes per person (small-medium sized)
• Olive oil
• Rosemary (fresh or dried)
• Salt
• Pepper

M E T H O D

• Pre-heat your oven (fan) to 220 degrees
• Slice the potatoes a few millimetres apart, cutting almost down to the bottom but just stopping short
• A good tip is to use chop sticks or something similar on either side of the potatoes to stop you before you get to the bottom, this leaves about 1cm at the bottom un-sliced so that they will concertina when you cook them
• Brush them with a little olive oil and place in a microwaveable dish
• Microwave them for 3-4 minutes
• Take them out of the oven and transfer to an oven proof dish
• Brush again with oil and sprinkle over some rosemary and season with salt and pepper, personal preference I think the saltier the better!
• Place in the middle-top of your oven for 20 minutes
• Take them out and brush again with oil, by now the layers should pull apart easier so get the oil right in there
• Pop them back in the oven for a further 10 minutes
• Take them out and oil again and bake for a final 10 minutes, cranking the oven up to the highest setting
• Serve them up with any meal you fancy, or even as a snack with some sauce / dip

Let’s bring the hassels back…