I actually made this for our first ever GobbleFest back in 2012. At the time we bought our roast turkey from Turkey Point Cafe, and I only made the sides. Back then I wasn’t wise enough to know to make a few dishes in advance, but this time, especially now that I roast my own turkey, I really needed to plan ahead. This casserole tastes just as great made a day ahead; just take it out of the fridge about an hour to return to room temperature, and bake as instructed.
This is one of those dishes in which you can throw all sorts of additional ingredients to suit your fancy. My first time making this, I ran out of beef bacon so I added a few Italian sausages in there. Add a bit of chopped broccoli if you like, to fulfil your veggie quota. It’s quite labor intensive and requires quite a lot of prep time, but the result is a wonderful comforting dish, excellent for potlucks and goes really well with your roast turkey or chicken. Enjoy!
Based on the recipe by Emeril Lagasse.
Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 (about 3 kilograms) large russet baking potatoes
- 8 tablespoons (about 125 grams) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (about 200 grams) sour cream
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
-
1 teaspoon salt
-
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 350 grams beef bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
-
2 cups (about 250 grams) sharp white Cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 cups (about 375 grams) mild Cheddar, grated
-
1/2 cup (about 2 stalks) finely chopped green onions
-
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Directions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (fan 180 degrees C).
Scrub the potatoes well and rinse under cool running water. Pat dry with paper towels and prick the potatoes in several places with a fork.
Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until tender.
Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.
When the potatoes have cooled, cut each potato in half.
Using a spoon or a melon baller, scoop the flesh out of the skins, leaving as little flesh as possible. To minimize wastage, I prefer to use a peeler to peel off the skin, then I break them into smaller chunks for easier mashing.
Place the potato flesh in a large bowl and add the 8 tablespoons (about 125 grams) butter, the sour cream, whipping cream, salt, and pepper and mash until chunky-smooth.
Add the bacon and any other meats you prefer, cubed white Cheddar and the green onions, and mix thoroughly.
Add half of the grated Cheddar and eggs, and mixed until thoroughly combined.
Butter a 9 by 13-inch casserole with the remaining tablespoon of butter and reduce the oven temperature to 190 degrees C (fan 170 degrees C).
Place the seasoned potato mixture in the prepared casserole.
Top with the remaining grated Cheddar.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and heated through and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden.
Serve hot.
