Top Notch Twice Cooked Mashed Potatoes

Intro: Top Notch Twice Cooked Mashed Potatoes

My twice cooked mashed potatoes are a welcome addition to a full spread roast. It feels really luxurious to have two types of potatoes and the soft, smooth mash complements traditional roast meats and potatoes well. By baking it after mashing it makes it smooth and rich and guarantees no lumps without pureeing. This recipe has cheese melted and browned on the top; you can leave this out or use vegan cheese as an alternative if you wish.

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Serves; 6

Preparation time; 15 minutes

Cooking time; 55 minutes

STEP 1: Peel and Chop Potatoes

Peel and chop the potatoes quite small. If they are small they will cook faster. Put into a small pan with a fitted lid.

STEP 2: Cook Potatoes

Cover with a minimal amount of boiling water, put a lid on to save gas and simmer on a low heat until soft, about 12 -14 minutes. A pinch of salt raises the boiling temperature and speeds cooking. They are ready when they break easily with a fork. Don't cook until mushy as they will be too waterlogged and will taste bad.

STEP 3: Add Butter, Salt and Pepper, Blend or Mash

Add the butter, 6-8 grinds of salt and pepper and mash with a masher or blender. I have never found a masher which works well so I mash with my hand blender, pressing the button intermittently whilst mashing it. Don't puree it as it will lack substance; cooking it again will remove lumps anyway.

STEP 4: Stir and Spoon Into Baking Bowl

Stir well with wooden spoon to mix ingredients and make smooth. Spoon into your favourite ovenproof dish and spread evenly. Surface markings tend to smooth out during cooking.

STEP 5: Add Cheese and Cook

Grate cheese onto surface to give a light covering. Place in the oven at 180 degrees centigrade for 40 minutes, depending on how ferocious your oven is. Keep an eye on it and turn if it looks like it's not cooking evenly. I cooked mine in the Aga on a medium/high heat for about 50 minutes to achieve this great golden colour.

Comments

[Alex in NZ]

This looks really good! I'm looking forward to trying it :-)

[T0BY]

Thanks!

[Drjr]

Looks great. Will be making this later today.

[T0BY]

How did it go?

[ElizabethLeona]

HI. Looks yummy and you make it easy to understand and follow. I love to bake more than regular cooking. I am going to try your recipe for Thanksgiving, wish me luck.

[T0BY]

You won't need luck, just follow the recipe!