Mashed potato is is a side dish that is pretty ordinary, it fills you up, but I tend to feel its pretty uninspiring, so use additions to liven up our midweek meals.
My love of cheese comes into play with this recipe which started out as just mash in a baking dish with mature Cheddar cheese on the top, then I just got a bit carried away!
Leftover Parmesan, was added one evening to the topping to increase the cheese flavour, then some bread past its best to give a crunchier topping. No real surprise here its a well known addition and is often just grilled. My love of using up leftovers often transforms mine and others recipes and become a regular bake or make.
This variation is good, but I still felt it was just mash with a nice topping.
So I decided it would taste really good with more cheese, if you are being extra healthy you may want to look away.
I wanted it to ooze with cheese, but not be drowned by the flavour, be gloriously melty and tasty at the same time. It worked, the mozzarella does not take away from the potato taste too much. It creates wonderful ribbons of cheesy mash.
I feel the dish is at its best, now a requested side dish by the family, this request is the top achievement for me as Mum.
I feel the dish is at its best, now a requested side dish by the family, this request is the top achievement for me as Mum.
I also want to add that mashing potatoes is a bore so when OXO asked me if I wanted to trial one of their gadgets, I asked for a potato ricer. Just as I hoped for quicker and easier mashing of potatoes.
But now I see why the chefs all use them and this one does more than deal with spuds!!
I received the OXO 3 in 1 adjustable potato ricer, I have to admit its huge and will not be fitting in your usual kitchen drawer. But after a few uses, we are so happy with it, its not a negative at all.
It deals with potatoes easily, no scratching of your best pans, it has a handy lip on the side so you can rest it on a bowl or pan.
What is pretty cool, is it is a 3 in 1 ricer, not just for what has to be the smoothest mash we have had at home so far, but it has 3 three settings, easily changed by turning the dial, no need to search for the discs, they are all part of the ricer as you maybe can see above.
The fine setting is perfect for fluffy mashed potatoes, which appear almost like grated cheese, then can be smoothed and used as they are or in any dish.
The potato just goes through so easily, its comfortable to hold, the handle is as with all OXO gadgets a good grip!
This setting is great for swede, parsnips, carrots, turnips, gnocchi etc. It is a bit harder work with swede but easier than mashing normally.
I imagine it would be great for making guacamole.
The medium setting is good for pressing water out of cooked greens and the coarse setting is perfect for chunky apple sauce, egg salad and pressing tomatoes for salsa and sauces.
I can also see this would be of benefit when I used to puree my own baby food.
It all comes apart for cleaning, oh plus a little yippee as its dishwasher proof.
RRP is £30 but I have spotted it cheaper on Amazon.
Back to my cheesy baked mash.
Ingredients
Potatoes enough for your family. (5 in my case)
Salt if you use it, I don't
2 whole mozzarella balls sliced thickly.
Two slices of bread.
About 75g Parmesan
100g of Mature cheddar grated.
Method
Cook the potatoes in boiling water adding salt if you use it until tender, drain and then rice or mash in the ban or a bowl.
While cooking preheat the oven to Fan 160/ 180 C or Gas mark 4. Grate the Cheddar and crumb your chosen bread, mix in a bowl with the Parmesan and set aside.
Add a layer of mash into a baking dish, add more potato then a layer of mozzarella.
Cover with remaining mash.
Top with the breadcrumb, Parmesan and grated cheese mixture. Then bake in the oven for 30- 40 minutes.
Serve immediately while the mozzarella is still gooey!
What do you think, is it cheese overload, yummy cheese heaven, would you like to try the recipe, even better would you like to try it using the OXO ricer?
Well you are in the right place, OXO have kindly supplied one as a prize for one of my lucky readers.
Well you are in the right place, OXO have kindly supplied one as a prize for one of my lucky readers.
Just fill in the Rafflecopter, a follow and a comment are the only requirements, if you want to gain extra entries, feel free but they are optional.
The draw will end on the 30th May at 12am.
Good Luck.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
