Mary Berry Jacket Potato Recipes

CLASSIC JACKET POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Rub the olive oil over the potatoes and put on the top shelf of the oven. Bake for 20 mins.
• Turn down the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and bake for 45 mins-1 hr until the skin is crisp and the flesh soft.
• Cut a cross on top of each potato, squeeze the sides, add the soured cream and your favourite toppings.

POSH JACKET POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Bake the potatoes for about an hour, or until soft in the middle.
• Slice the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Stir in the milk and butter. Stir in the pesto or other topping of your choice (see steps 3, 4 and 5) and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture back into the potato skins.
• For the bacon and mushroom topping, fry the bacon until crisp, then add the mushrooms and fry over a high heat for a few minutes.
• For the spring onion and soured cream topping, heat the oil over a high heat and fry the spring onions until soft. Stir into the potato flesh along with the soured cream.
• For the pepper and goats' cheese topping, cut the roasted peppers into strips and stir into the potato flesh along with the goats' cheese and basil.
• Transfer the potatoes to a roasting tin. Scatter over the Parmesan (for pesto topping) or cheddar (for bacon and mushroom topping), or dust with paprika (for spring onion topping). Drizzle over a little olive oil and return to the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the skins are crisp.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot.

BAKED CHILLI & JACKET POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, then put on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 1 hr.
• While the potatoes are baking, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and fry over a high heat for 5 mins until softened. Add the garlic and chilli sachet. Stir a few times to coat the onions in the spices, then tip the onion mixture into a large ovenproof dish.
• Put the pan back over high heat and add the beef mince, breaking it up with a spatula as you go. Cook until starting to become crisp at the edges, then add to the dish with the onions. Return the pan to heat and cook the bacon until crisp at the edges. Add the bacon to the beef and stir to combine.
• Stir in the tomato purée and tomatoes, then put the dish in the oven with the potatoes and bake for 25-30 mins until bubbling and starting to thicken. Stir in the beans and season well. Return to the oven for 5 mins to warm through.
• Cut a cross in the top of each potato and squeeze the sides to open. Spoon in the baked chilli and top with soured cream, cheese and coriander if you like.

BONFIRE NIGHT BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, then rub with half the oil, some sea salt and black pepper. Arrange on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 1 hr 15 mins, until their skins are crisp and they are completely tender when prodded.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil and half the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and gently cook for 15-20 mins until softened and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside, add the chopped bacon and fry until just crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper.
• Halve each potato lengthways (watch out, they will be hot), then scoop out most of the potato into a bowl, leaving a potato skin shell with a thin layer of potato. In the bowl, crush the potato with the remaining butter and the double cream. Season with salt and pepper. Fold through the onion, bacon, three-quarters of the cheeses and half the parsley. Spoon back into the potato shells and top with the remaining cheese. Transfer to the baking tray and return to the oven for 10-15 mins, until melting and golden. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve with a sharply dressed crisp salad, if you like.

STUFFED JACKET POTATOES

Steps:

• Equipment you will need: medium mixing bowl, small mixing bowl, dessertspoon, fork, baking tray, grater, oven gloves.
• Get an adult to heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake the potatoes for about 1 hr until cooked and the skins are crispy. Leave to cool completely. This can be done up to 2 days ahead.
• To stuff the jacket potatoes, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Ask an adult to cut the potatoes in half. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the middle of the potato, leaving the skin unbroken (like a boat). Place the scooped potato into a mixing bowl.
• Using the fork, mash the potato until there are no lumps. Add the cheese, sweetcorn and peppers and mix well. Gently pick the leaves from the herbs. You can rip the larger leaves into smaller pieces. Stir the herbs into the cheesy potato mixture.
• Using the spoon, carefully scoop the mixture back into the potato boats. Make sure that you use all the mixture up. Sprinkle with a little extra grated cheese and place on a baking tray. Using oven gloves, place the tray in the oven and bake for 10-15 mins until golden.