Hedgehog Potatoes

My friend Erika introduced me to these when she cooked them for me and few mates one night. I remember everyone was very impressed. I have made them a few times since and think they are a bit special. I don’t know why I call them hedgehog potatoes; they don’t even look like hedgehogs! They take a little time and patience to prepare but they are a bit of a treat and great for dinner parties or fancy roast dinners. You need to use a good roasting variety of potato like Maris Piper. Choose spuds that are roughly the same size so that they all cook at the same rate and are ready at the same time. Next comes the tricky bit; you need to thinly slice the potatoes nearly all the way through but not quite. You must leave the base of each potato unsliced so that it holds the top together. A clever trick to help with this is to place each potato on a wooden spoon so that when you cut into it, the knife can’t slip and go all the way through. Use the sharpest knife you have. When you have sliced all your spuds, drizzle olive oil over them and roll them gently in your hands to coat them. Sprinkle with salt and bake in a hot oven for 40-50 minutes. They are ready when they are golden brown and when you can easily slide a thin knife in and out of them. You can eat these with a roast dinner or with a rich bean stew, ratatouille and sausages or anything you fancy really!