Baked Potato

The Hasselback potato is one of those seemingly fancy creations that’s actually deceptively easy to make. Cutting the accordion-like shape takes no time at all--seriously. But the more important point here is that you can fill all those crevices with exponentially more toppings (hello, cheddar cheese and bacon) than your average baked potato.

INGREDIENTS

~ 4 large russet potatoes
~ 4 tablespoons butter, softened
~ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
~ ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
~ ½ cup chopped cooked bacon, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

~ Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 

~ Use a sharp knife to cut the entire top of the potato into thin crosswise slices (about ⅛-inch thick), stopping about three-quarters of the way down the potato so the base stays in tact and the pieces remain attached to the base. 

~ Rub 1 tablespoon butter evenly across the top of each potato. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and then place them on the prepared baking sheet 

~  Roast the potatoes until they are golden and easily pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. 

~ Remove the baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle each potato with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese and 2 tablespoons bacon. Push some of the toppings between the potato slices. Return the baking sheet to the oven and cook until the bacon is crisp and the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes more.

~ Let the potatoes cool for 5 minutes before serving.