Hasselback Potatoes with Kale & Pesto

I posted a photo of thinly sliced spuds on instagram a while back, mentioning that we would roast them, add kale, beans, red onion and cherry tomatoes, slather with pesto and call it dinner. The response was unusually loud for such a humble dinner that we decided to recreate and share this simple recipe here.

I’m sure you have seen this potato technique before – slicing them thinly but not all the way through, drizzling with fat and baking them until the edges are crispy and the middle is creamy and soft. Hasselback potatoes were apparently invented at a restaurant here in Stockholm in the 1950’s, as a method to shorten the baking time. It was a very popular dish when I was around Elsa’s age (almost 30 years ago!!!). My mom made Hasselback potatoes almost as often as she did her famous baked giant sausage stuffed with pineapple and cheese – yup, that was what we ate back in 1989. I haven’t seen a lot of pineapple stuffed sausage since then, but Hasselback potatoes sure made a comeback and have been increasingly popular during the last couple of years.

The original version uses butter and breadcrumbs but we’re simply using oil. I’m sure some almond flour could be tossed on top towards the end of the baking, if you like it with a little crust. We also stuff herbs into the slices to give the spuds more flavour and that also helps the fat to find its way inside the potato. A good trick is to place the potato in a large wooden spoon when you cut it, to prevent from cutting it all the way through. Or placing it between two chopsticks or chopping boards. On the photo above, Luise uses a metal spoon which actually makes it more difficult to slice because the potato isn’t flat and it can also be bad for the knife. So not the best example. What can I tell you, she’s Danish, very stubborn and she doesn’t like to follow my instructions. But she got the job done with that spoon as well.

As I mentioned in the intro, we add kale, beans, tomatoes and onion towards the last 15 minutes of the roasting and then serve with pesto on the side. It’s an easy one-tray dinner. It is however also an awesome side dish on the Christmas table. It looks really nice and Christmassy on that bed of kale.

While we were at it, we compiled a list of a few other great Christmas related recipes from the archives. Last year’s loaf would make an excellent companion to the potatoes.

• Christmas Spiced Parsnip Cake
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Christmas Salad
• Mushroom, Rice & Hazelnut Loaf
• Pomegranate, Raspberry & Thyme Jam
• Saffron Falafels
• Quinoa, Kale & Apple Salad
• Homemade Nutella

Finally, can we just say a massive Merry Christmas / Happy Hanukkah or whatever yo are celebrating! This has been an intense year for us with books, babies and lots more. We haven’t been posting recipes as often as we intended but we want to thank you for your constant support, kindness and cheering comments. We have a lot more planned in the near future so stay tuned. BIG LOVE!
/David, Luise, Elsa, Isac and baby Gabriel

Hasselback Potatoes with Kale, Beans & Pesto

The baking time can vary depending on the potato size and variety. Smaller potatoes will need a little less time.

Hasselback potatoes
2 kg / 4 lbs (roughly 12) large baking potatoes
80 ml / 1/3 cup olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
1 bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked

To serve
3 large handfuls kale, thick stalks removed and leaves roughly chopped
1 small red onion
170 g / 1 cup cooked black beans (1/2 can), rinsed
12 cherry tomatoes
100 g / 1/2 cup pesto (if you are vegan, choose a pesto without cheese)

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
2. Wash and scrub the potatoes.
3. Slice each potato thinly. Let each slice cut about two-thirds into the potato, leaving the bottom intact. This is easiest done by placing the potatoes inside a large spoon, the edges of the spoon will then stop the knife from cutting too deep.
4. Tuck some thyme leaves sporadically between the slices of each potato and place them on a baking tray.
5. Use a brush to drizzle the potatoes with about half of the oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Bake for 30 minutes and then brush the potatoes with the remaining olive oil. The potatoes should have started to fan out slightly which will make it easier to get some of the oil down in-between the slices as well. If the slices are still stuck together, you can let them roast a while longer before adding the last oil.
7. Bake for 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, cut the onion in thin slices and place it in a bowl along with the kale, beans and tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
8. When the potatoes have been in the oven for about 1 hour in total, arrange the onion, kale, beans and tomatoes on the tray, around the potatoes and bake for 15 minutes more, or until the potato edges are crispy and the centre feels soft when pierced with a toothpick.
9. Drizzle pesto over the potatoes and kale and serve immediately, while still hot.

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PS!
We have also updated our Green Kitchen app with 6 Christmas recipes. Apart from this Hasselback Potato recipe and some favorites from last year, you’ll also find our simple Sesame & Gingerbread Truffles and this delicious Saffron Overnight Oats recipe there. Enjoy!