Hi Everyone! So, it turned into Fall here – all the sudden. One day it is hot and steamy and then the next day it is too cold for open windows. The husband actually built a fire in the fireplace just one day after comfortably walking around with short sleeves and running the air conditioner. What the heck? I’m not complaining, mind you, well, not really anyway. I was getting kind of tired of the hot weather and I do love many things about Fall.
I love the way cooking and baking changes in the cooler weather too. I do bake all year long, but some things just taste better when there is a chill in the air. Of course, anything with pumpkin tastes good – or squash. I love butternut squash. Hmmm…I may have to think up a squash recipe to share soon. Good idea, Wench. So, anyway, I am much more apt to use the oven for main or side dishes during the Fall and Winter. Now, I have to admit that I am not great with side dishes. I seem to have very little imagination when it comes to veggie and potato dishes. I love them but tend to get stuck in ruts very easily. I really should make a concerted effort to explore more side dish variations. Pinterest searches, here I come.
Not long ago, I did discover a potato dish that I really love, and it is so incredibly easy. But, it looks kind of fancy-schmancy. So, you could serve this to guests and feel all proud of yourself as you bask in the glow of compliments. This is a variation of the hasselback potatoes that you may have seen online and in recipe books in the past few years. You just don’t stuff anything between the slices and you do actually slice all the way through the potato and then loosely stack the slices back together. Neat, huh?
For this dish you will need some nice big baking potatoes. I usually need 3 or 4 depending on the size of the potatoes. You also need some olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning (from the spice aisle), butter and grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, plus a little salt and pepper.
You will bake these taters in a round baking dish or iron skillet. Actually, you could use any oven-safe skillet, but an iron skillet does work really well for this. I used the pan pictured below. It is an iron baking dish that is about 10 inches in diameter. You just need a dish or pan that will allow you to keep your potato slices on edge but not packed together too tightly. Of course, you can always add more potato slices or remove some until you have everything just right.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush the entire interior of your dish or skillet with olive oil.
Wash the potatoes well and remove any bad spots but don’t peel them. Slice the potatoes crosswise into desired thickness. I like mine on the thinner side, so they are usually about ⅛ inch but use your own judgement. I would not go larger than ¼ inch, though, or the baking time will be off. Slice all the way through the taters but keep the slices kind of together. Arrange all of the slices in the pan in a circular pattern all the way around. Then, arrange some slices in the middle to fill the hole that is left. Make sure that the slices are vertical (on edge) and arranged loosely. You want for the butter and seasoning to get into the cracks.
Mix the garlic powder and Italian seasoning together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the potatoes and then sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them as well.
Cut the butter into small cubes. Arrange the butter cubes over the top of the potatoes as evenly as possible.
Cover the skillet or pan with foil and bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the foil and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the potatoes. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the tops of the potatoes have become crispy. Remove from the oven and serve. These potatoes are crispy yet tender with a light Italian flavor and a wonderful Parmesan topping. They are a nice addition to a steak or roast beef dinner.
Italian Baked Potatoes
These potatoes are crispy yet tender with a light Italian flavor and a wonderful Parmesan topping.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 or 4 large baking potatoes
- 2 Tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese (grated or shredded)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Step 2 Brush the entire interior of pan or skillet with olive oil.
- Step 3 Slice the potatoes crosswise thinly, not more than 1/4 inch.
- Step 4 Arrange the potato slices on edge loosely in pan or skillet in a circular pattern. Fill the middle with more slices.
- Step 5 Mix the garlic powder and Italian seasoning together and sprinkle over the potatoes. Then, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 6 Dot the potatoes with the cubed butter.
- Step 7 Cover the pan or skillet with foil and bake for 1 hour.
- Step 8 Remove the foil then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the potatoes.
- Step 9 Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the edges of the potatoes are crispy and browned.
