The Cheesy Potato Bake is one of those many recipes that connect me to family traditions. It is a very simple bake, but my paternal grandmother used to cook it in an extraordinary way. Every time I prepare it, many memories linked to this dish come back to me, but especially images of her, while she was preparing it, and me, as a child, intent on observing her every move…
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Portions: 6 servings
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boiled potatoes
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 4 oz melting cheese
- 5 oz cooked ham
- 2.8 oz Parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsps milk
- to taste salt and pepper
- to taste breadcrumbs
Tools
- Baking pan 7/8 inches
- Potato masher
- Bowl
Preparation
First of all, organize your work surface with all the pre-measured ingredients so that everything is at hand.
Boil the potatoes for about 40 minutes, or until they feel soft.
After the necessary time, drain them, but let them cool a bit before peeling, as there is no need to burn your hands: even when cold, the skin comes off very easily.
Take one at a time, place them in the potato masher, but let the strands fall into a large bowl, because you will need to add the rest of the ingredients.
Adjust with salt and pepper, add the chopped cheese and ham, the eggs, grated Parmesan, milk, and extra virgin olive oil, and mix well with your hands.
Grease the baking pan, sprinkle it with breadcrumbs, and pour all the mixture inside.
Level well and cover with more breadcrumbs, as well as a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, because this way, you will get a really crunchy crust.
Bake in a well-heated oven, 475°F, for about 35/40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve your Cheesy Potato Bake hot, so that the cheese inside is stringy when served.
Tip: If you want, you can prepare and freeze different quantities before baking, as you will do this later.
If you like potato bakes, try the summer version: Cold Potato Bake
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