Loaded Potato Halves
This is a nice side dish or addition to a selection of savouries. It's proved popular with my kids and can accompany a picnic menu or lunch box. A great finger food that can be eaten with minimal mess!You can easily replace the filling with any of your family favourites, add or take away any ingredient or even keep the potato skins if you prefer.
Equipment
- 1 deep fryer
Ingredients
- 10 Medium & evenly-sized potatoes
- Grated Mozzarella or cheddar cheese optional
- 2-3 tbsp Dried oregano for garnishing if using cheese
The Filling
- 1 Large onion diced small
- 1 cup Chopped parsley
- 400 g Minced Meat
- 1 Fresh red bell pepper diced small
- 1 tsp Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Corriander powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Tomato paste
Instructions
- Wash & half boil the potatoes whole. Make sure they don't fully cook.
- When boiled, leave in cold water to stand for a few minutes before peeling with your fingers. When peeled, halve them long ways.
- Then carefully cut out the inside of the potatoes leaving about a 1 cm border around the edges. I insert a knife 1-2 cm deep and cut around the potato halve leaving a 1 cm space from. the edge. Then I use a tablespoon to gently spoon out the middle.
- Deep fry the potato halves until crispy and golden, then set aside.
- Stir fry all the filling ingredients in some oil starting with browning the onion, then add the minced meat, then when browned add the tomato paste, seasoning and pepper. Stir fry until cooked but not overdone.
- Then fill the potato halves generously with the meat filling and garnish as you please.
- If you want to add cheese, after loading the potato halves with the filling line them up on a baking tray.
- Sprinkle with some grated Mozzarella cheese or cheddar
- Then season with some dried oregano
- Place under the grill until the cheese melts & turns golden.
Notes
Boiling the potatoes halfway saves baking time and adds a softness to the inside as well as an outside crunch. However, it's important to not overboil them so that they are not too delicate to handle when cutting and filling. Don't forget they will finish cooking when deep fried.