Mini Hasselback Potatoes with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Hasselback Potatoes with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto is such a fun appetizer or side dish! They can be enjoyed as finger food since you can pull apart each layer and dip it into the pesto. These can also just be eaten with a fork and knife. Before you really dive into the recipe there are a few things you should know about making Hasselback Potatoes.

Preparing Hasselback potatoes can be tricky so be sure to read the specific instructions below so that you can set yourself up for success!

Watch me make Mini Hasselback Potatoes with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto here

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Ingredients

• Small red potatoes-meaty and creamy potatoes with golden flesh that bake tender when roasted in the oven 
• Sun-dried tomatoes in oil—dried sun-dried tomatoes that are pre-softened and seasoned using olive oil. 
• Garlic cloves-pulverized along with the sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil to create flecks of garlic flavor
•  Fresh herbs- rosemary, thyme, and oregano add herbaceous and pungent flavors to the pesto 
• Olive oil-used to emulsify the tomatoes while they're in the food processor, gives added depth  
• Salt and pepper-brings out the flavor in the potatoes 

Making the pesto for Hasselback Potatoes

So let’s start out with a “don’t” for this pesto. Don’t put everything into a food processor like you normally would when making pesto. This will create a brown and unappetizing-looking pesto because of all of the red and green mixed together. Instead, you can blend the sun-dried tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and cut the fresh herbs by hand before adding them to the mixture. 

Make sure you chop up your herbs pretty small so they mix together into the pesto.

Steps

1. The first thing you’ll want to do is take care of the prep work for this dish. Wash the outside of your potatoes thoroughly to free them of any dirt and debris. Chop all of the herbs. If you are using packaged dry tomatoes without oil this would be a great time to rehydrate your tomatoes in olive oil. 
2. Next, make the pesto. I would make this hours in advance to allow all of the flavors to truly blend together if you’ve got the time. 
3. After this, you’ll want to preheat your oven while you slice the potatoes. Unless you’re using a nonstick pan, be sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. 
4. Using a basting brush, dip the brush in oil and use it to brush olive oil between each layer. Use your fingers to separate the layers as you brush in between them.  Season each potato with salt and pepper before roasting in the oven. If you are unsure about the baking time, bake them for the listed amount of time and then use a fork to make sure a few of the layers are tender. 

How to slice the potatoes

The most important thing to note is how to slice the potatoes to get that iconic shape. When cutting you have to be very careful and intentional about each slice, pace yourself. If it's your first time making these, take it very slowly, it's extremely easy to cut right through. If you're having difficulty knowing how far down to cut, start off by cutting three-quarters of the way down. After you have finished one potato see if the layers are easy to peel back but BE GENTLE; I cannot stress enough, that this is a delicate process.

Slice the bottom part of each potato off so that each one lays flat when set on a surface. Do not discard the piece that was just sliced off as it will be used to lay the potato on when it’s placed on the baking sheet.  

Make small slices in each potato, cutting almost all the way through to the bottom. The goal is to keep each potato intact without cutting so far through that it falls apart. Doing this step provides a better chance for the layers to lay slightly open allowing the hot air to flow while they're baking. If you find that the layers are not easily peeled back you may need to go back and cut each slice a little deeper. 

Tips

If you created slightly thicker pieces, you can easily pull each one apart and use your pesto as a dip. Alternatively, spoon the pesto over the top of each potato and enjoy it this way. Both options are equally delicious. These serve as a great side dish for chicken, fish, or any other meat or vegetables alike. 

Be sure to slice each piece as evenly as possible so it all cooks at the same time. 

What to serve with Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselback potatoes are a side dish that can accompany meat or seafood well but my favorite way to enjoy these is as an appetizer (mainly because of the dipping component.) If making them for a party, you could assemble several small bowls of pesto around a large serving dish with many baby potatoes throughout. This way, a lot of people can partake at the same time. Talk about a party! 

Substitutions

You can most definitely use sun-dried tomatoes that come without oil. there are some that are sold dried in packages. If you are using sun-dried tomatoes that come in a package without oil, soak the tomatoes in olive oil for at least 30 minutes before blending. 

Enjoy!!

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