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Skull potato skins

These spooky skull potato skins are a fun and tastya ddition to a Halloween party buffet. Baked potatoes are carved into little skulls, then filled with melted Cheddar and crispy bacon or pancetta for a deliciously cheesy, savoury snack. Spring onions add a fresh finish, while sour cream or crème fraîche makes a lovely creamy dip on the side. You can prepare the potatoes ahead and finish them in the oven just before serving. For a dairy-free option, leave out the crème fraîche and serve the potato skulls with tomato salsa or guacamole instead.
Print Recipe
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: USA
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 5 medium baking potatoes
  • Grated Cheddar cheese
  • Lardons or pancetta chopped
  • Spring onions finely chopped
  • Sour cream or crème fraîche to serve

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Bake the potatoes until just tender, then leave them to cool enough to handle.
  2. Halve the potatoes lengthways and scoop out some of the flesh, leaving a sturdy shell. Reserve the scooped-out potato for another recipe.
  3. Meanwhile, fry the lardons or chopped pancetta in a frying pan until crispy. Drain off any excess fat.
  4. Using a small, sharp knife, carefully carve simple skull features into the cut surface of each potato half. Make two eye sockets, a small nose and a jagged mouth with teeth.
  5. Fill the carved openings with grated Cheddar and crispy bacon or pancetta.
  6. Return the potato skins to the oven and bake for about 10–15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges are crisp.
  7. Scatter with chopped spring onions and serve warm with sour cream or crème fraîche on the side. For a dairy-free option, serve with tomato salsa or guacamole instead.