Hasselback Patates (Turkish-Spiced Hasselback Potatoes)

About This Recipe

Hasselback potatoes — whole potatoes sliced thinly at regular intervals without cutting all the way through, then roasted so each fan-like slice crisps separately while the base remains fluffy — are a technique with Swedish origins (from Hasselbacken restaurant in Stockholm, documented in the 1950s) that adapts wonderfully to Turkish flavor profiles. The Turkish version employs the characteristic flavors of the kahvaltı and meze table: pul biber, dried thyme, garlic, and generous amounts of butter. The slicing technique seems fiddly but is easily mastered with the chopstick trick: lay a chopstick on either side of the potato and cut down — the chopsticks stop the knife from going all the way through. The key to maximum crispiness is basting the potatoes with garlicky butter or olive oil every 15-20 minutes as they roast, allowing each cut surface to develop a separate crispy edge. The result is an accordion-like potato that presents beautifully, delivers both crispy and creamy textures in every bite, and absorbs seasoning at every exposed layer.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 largeoval potatoes (about 200g each)(scrubbed clean)
• 60 gunsalted butter
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspdried thyme
• 1 tsppul biber (Aleppo pepper flakes)
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 2 tbspflat-leaf parsley(chopped, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat and Score

   Preheat oven to 200°C. Place a potato between two chopsticks or wooden spoon handles. Make thin slices across the potato every 3-4mm, cutting down until the knife hits the chopsticks — these stop you from cutting all the way through. Repeat for all potatoes.

   Use oval potatoes of similar size so they cook at the same rate.

2. 2

   Make Garlic-Herb Butter

   Melt butter in a small saucepan with olive oil, garlic, thyme, pul biber, salt, and pepper over low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat.

3. 3

   First Roast and Baste

   Place potatoes on a baking tray. Brush generously with the garlic butter, working it down into the slices with a pastry brush. Roast at 200°C for 25 minutes.

4. 4

   Baste and Continue Roasting

   Remove tray from oven. The slices will have started to fan open. Baste again with the remaining garlic butter, pressing it into the widened cuts. Return to oven for another 25-30 minutes until edges are golden and crispy and the centers are soft when tested with a knife.

5. 5

   Serve

   Transfer to a serving plate, scatter with parsley, and serve immediately. The potatoes are best straight from the oven while the edges are at peak crispiness.

Variations

• •

  Peynirli: stuff thin slices of kaşar cheese between the fans for the final 10 minutes of cooking.

• •

  Zeytinyağlı: use all olive oil instead of butter for a dairy-free, Mediterranean version.

• •

  Kremalı: drizzle with crème fraîche and chives for a French-Turkish fusion garnish.

Storage

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in an oven at 200°C for 10-12 minutes to restore crispiness — microwave reheating makes them soft.

Frequently Asked Questions