CROQUE MONSIEUR HASSELBACK POTATOES

CROQUE MONSIEUR HASSELBACK POTATOES

TIME: 1 HOUR 40 MINS SERVES: 7

I used Canadian Bacon and Fontina cheese instead of emmental because I couldn't get it.  We also had asparagus and sourdough bread.

• 7 medium potatoes

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 tbsp salt

• 10 slices emmental

• 10 slices ham

• 2 cups bechamel/white sauce

• 2 cups grated emmental

Recipe by Hugh

Jan

Potatoes - unparalleled in their versatility, these humble looking tubers have graced the tables of kings and lined the gutters of many a bad night out. There are few things that do not benefit from hasselbacking or being "croqued" and our lumpy friends certainly aren't one of them - in fact, stuffed full of ham and cheese and covered in bechamel sauce, these Franco-British love ins are essentially heaven on a plate. 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Begin by slicing parallel lines down the length of each potato, using two wooden spoons as guides to prevent the knife cleaving your tater in half.

Rub each one with oil and sprinkle with salt, then bake for at least an hour, until they begin to fan out.

Remove from the oven and leave until cool enough to handle.

Stick slices of emmental and ham in each alternate slit in the potato then cover with bechamel sauce and more emmental.

Bake for a further 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.