Crispy Roasted Potatoes

I have seen this recipe posted on a few different blogs. It looked so delicious and intriguing to me, I just had to try it. It reminds me of a cross between Hasselback potatoes, a Swedish recipe, and pommes Anna a french one.  Both result in potatoes which are crisp outside and soft and buttery on the inside. And so did this recipe. 

Crispy Potato Roast

(A Martha Stewart Recipe)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
4 shallots, thickly sliced lengthwise
coarse salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
8 sprigs thyme

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a sharp knife or mandoline, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise.

Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt and red-pepper flakes; brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 1/4 hours. Add thyme and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 35 minutes more.