Now that the month is almost 1/2 over I am finally changing my Twitter Avatar. This week’s food celebrity was Nigella Lawson chosen by our friend Marthe of The Baking Bluefinger. Actually I changed my Avatar the first of the month, but it wasn’t very pretty and the dish really wasn’t that good. Now I have the right dish and the better picture.

    Hassleback Potatoes

I had made these before but I didn’t like the way they came out. Nigella’s were perfect. Just basted in a little EVOO and butter.

    •18 medium oval-shaped potatoes, about 125g each, or 36 new potatoes, approx. 60g each
    •45g butter
    •5 tablespoons olive oil
    • Maldon salt {I used regular salt}

Serves: 6.

1.If you’re using the larger potatoes, preheat the oven to 400°F/210°C/gas mark 7; for roasting new potatoes, preheat to 395°F/200°C/gas mark 6. Put each potato, in turn, in the bowl of a wooden spoon, like you would carry an egg in an egg-and-spoon race, and cut across at about 3mm intervals.{This is a GREAT tip. You won’t cut them all the way thru’ and you don’t have to worry about it!!}
2. When you’ve cut them all, put the baking tin on the hob (don’t you love that word: stove} with the butter and oil and heat up till sizzling. Turn the potatoes well, putting them in upside down (ie, cut side down) first, then the right side up, and spoon the fat over them.
3.Sprinkle each potato well with salt and put in the oven: cook the large potatoes for about an hour and 10 minutes, testing to see whether the flesh is soft (you may need another 10 minutes for this); 40 minutes should be fine for the new potatoes.
4.Transfer to a warmed plate, and serve. {I sprinkled a little dried parsley over the top.}

Althought just a little variation on a good ol’ baked potato they look so elegant and are fun to make.