Loaded Hasselback Sweet Potato Melt
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
- 600g sweet potatoes (smallish ones, around the same size)
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 rashers bacon
- 1/3 cup grated cheese
- 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 red onion, finely diced
- 1 large red chilli, sliced
- 3 heaped tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chilli sauce
- Chopped parsley, chives or whatever fresh herbs you fancy
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 220C/440F. Peel all the sweet potatoes. Slice them lengthways on one side so that they lay flat on the chopping board. Place two disposable chopsticks on each end lengthways and make cuts down the sweet potato-the chopsticks will prevent you cutting all the way through (but they will mark the chopsticks so don't use your best ones).
Step 2 - I put the sliced off bits on the base of an oven proof dish and then place the sliced sweet potatoes around them. Drizzle with oil and roast for 30 minutes. While it is cooking lay the bacon rashers on a lined baking tray.
Step 3 - After 30 minutes take the sweet potatoes out of the oven and gently press a fork or spoon on them to separate the cuts. Roast for another 15 minutes and slide the bacon into the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove and chop.
Step 4 - Then remove from the oven and slide 2-3 thin slices of garlic in each sweet potato. Sprinkle cheese and red onion over this and bake at 200C/400F for 5 minutes until cheese has melted. Top with sour cream, chilli sauce, bacon pieces and herbs.