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Mashed Potatoes Au Gratin
6 potatoes riced 3 tablespoons butter 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon paprika 2 eggs 1/4 cup grated cheese 1/2 cup buttered crums Add butter, seasoning and eggs to the hot riced potatoes. Beat until light and mound on a baking-dish. Cover with grated cheese and then with buttered crums to which the melted butter or butter substitute has been added. Bake fifteen minutes, or until the crums are brown.
A plain potato casserole from the era when a ricer was standard equipment. The recipe gives no oven temperature and no liquid, both of which need filling in.
- Oven temperatureNo heat is specified. Fifteen minutes to brown crumbs suggests a fairly hot oven, around 400F; the interior is already cooked, so the bake is only to set the eggs and colour the top.
- PotatoesSix medium potatoes is roughly 2 to 2 1/4 lb, yielding about 4 cups riced. Russets or another mealy variety rice best; waxy potatoes turn gluey when beaten.
- The eggs are the pointTwo whole eggs beaten into the potatoes are what make this a gratin rather than reheated mash. Work them in while the potatoes are hot but off the heat and beat hard, so they lighten the mixture instead of scrambling in it.
- No milk or creamThe recipe relies entirely on butter and eggs for moisture. If the riced potatoes seem stiff, a few tablespoons of hot milk will loosen them without loss to the dish.
- Buttered crumbsThe instruction is redundant as printed: buttered crumbs are simply fresh soft crumbs tossed with melted butter, about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons for 1/2 cup of crumbs. Dry commercial crumbs will not brown the same way and absorb more fat.
- Butter substituteIn this period the term meant oleomargarine or a vegetable shortening, offered as an economy. Butter is the better choice here since the topping's flavour is mostly fat and cheese.
- CheeseA quarter cup of grated cheese is a modest amount; the recipe says only 'grated cheese', which in this period most likely meant a firm American or dry cheddar. Grate it fine so it melts under the crumbs in the short bake.
- YieldServes six as a side dish. Use a shallow baking dish of about 1 1/2 quarts so the crumb crust is broad rather than deep.