Is there really a salad that is superior to one that is sandwiched between tater tot layers?
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 50 mins |
| Additional Time: | 5 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 15 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 4 large long russet potatoes, scrubbed and patted dry
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 4 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 (8 ounce) container small fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Grana Padano cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Set potatoes on a cutting board. Starting from one end, cut slices that are roughly 1/4-inch thick into each potato, stopping about 1/2-inch from the bottom to keep potato slices connected. Transfer prepared potatoes to a baking sheet.
- Stir together olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Brush olive oil mixture onto the potatoes using a basting brush, making sure to coat the outer sides and in between the slices. Season liberally with sea salt. Set aside remaining oil mixture.
- Bake potatoes in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush once again with remaining oil. By now the potatoes will have opened a bit, allowing for more oil to slip between the slices. Sprinkle a little more sea salt onto each potato, making sure to sprinkle salt in the slices.
- Return to the oven and bake until potatoes are cooked through, 25 to 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Leave oven on.
- Leave a few potato slices unstuffed on both ends of each potato, starting somewhere about 1/4 of the way through the potato. Start by slipping a tomato slice in between your first 2 slices of potato, skip 2 slices, and stuff the next slice with mozzarella cheese and a fresh basil leaf. Skip 2 more, add a tomato slice, and continue alternating tomato and mozzarella cheese/basil leaf until you reach the other end of the potato. Continue until all potatoes have been stuffed. Season each potato with sea salt and cracked pepper.
- Return potatoes to the oven and bake until mozzarella has melted, about 5 minutes.
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze, sprinkle with grated Grana Padano cheese, and garnish with fresh basil.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 667 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 77 g |
| Cholesterol | 46 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 7 g |
| Protein | 20 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Sodium | 128 mg |
| Sugars | 6 g |
| Fat | 32 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
I really liked this recipe – especially the olive oil/garlic/red pepper flake seasoning!! My potatoes were large so I ended up needing more olive oil. Do cut these thin!! While kinda a pain, I didn’t and the bake time took longer!! I also had less “slots” to stuff. The balsamic glaze was a great touch. Fun dinner! Great with steaks! Thank you!