Sweet potato hasselbacks! Crispy and brown edges, meets soft creamy insides and toppings galore. Super easy to prep and totally customizable with seasoning & toppings of your choice (these ones are baked with rosemary and loaded with feta, kidney beans and tahini)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (try to use ones that are similar in size for even cooking)
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• flaky sea salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

To serve:

• 1 x 400g can of cooked red kidney beans OR brown lentils, rinsed & drained
• 200g feta cheese
• tahini OR plain yoghurt mixed with a squeeze of lemon juice to drizzle
• extra chopped rosemary, optional

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 220C.
2. Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes, leaving the skin on.
3. Using a large sharp knife, cut off a little sliver off one of the sides of each potato, so as to create a flat base for it to sit on and avoid it rolling around while slicing it.
4. Slice each potato crosswise in 0.5cm intervals, cutting almost all the way through but leaving about 0.5cm intact at the bottom. To avoid accidentally cutting all the way through, place a chopstick (or even a pen or pencil) on either side of the potato while you slice it, so as to stop the knife from reaching the cutting board (see video).
5. Place the potatoes onto a baking sheet and drizzle liberally with olive oil (at least 1.5tbsp each). Using a brush, carefully try to spread some of the oil in between the slices without breaking them up. No need to stress out about this part, as the slices will naturally fan out while cooking in the oven and allow some oil in.
6. Sprinkle the potatoes generously with salt and the rosemary, then bake in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour, or until tender all the way through and edges are browned and crispy. (This depends on the size of the potatoes, use a sharp thin knife to test them by piercing through the base; it should be soft).
7. Once cooked, remove from the oven and spoon on the beans/lentils (get some in between the slices), crumble on the feta and drizzle with tahini/yoghurt, sprinkle with the extra rosemary if you like and serve warm.

Notes:

• Feel free to change up the toppings as you please! You can switch up the type of beans, or use chopped nuts, different herbs or cheeses, or even keep it plain or use coconut oil and serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and sprinkle of cinnamon for a sweet version!

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 hr
Serves: 4

Recipe and video created by Matters of the Belly. Click here to see her blog.