Cheesy breakfast potato casserole

A hearty and delicious way to start your day!

I learned about this classic dish while reading a novel set in the American Midwest; historically this delicious offering was often called ‘funeral potatoes’ due to its popularity at after-funeral luncheons. It was traditionally made with frozen hash brown potatoes and canned cream of chicken or mushroom soup. I prefer this version made from scratch as it is significantly less salty and much fresher-tasting. Many recipes also call for a topping of crushed corn flakes but I don’t prefer to add that element; if you like a crunchy topping I would recommend mixing 1/4 cup (30 g) of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) to the reserved 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese; combine and sprinkle over the top before baking. This dish is great with fried eggs plus breakfast sausages or bacon and it can be made ahead of time and refrigerated before baking; leftovers reheat beautifully. And if you’re a fan (as I am) of potatoes for breakfast, you might want to check out this fabulous frittata recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs (900 g) russet potatoes, of uniform size (about 6 medium)
• 2 teaspoons (11 g) coarse sea salt
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3/4 cup (180 mL) chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup (250 mL) cream (18%) or milk
• 2 1/2 cups (300 g) old cheddar cheese shredded, divided
• 1 cup (245 g) sour cream
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (25 g) minced fresh chives or green onion tops
• Additional minced chives or parsley, to garnish

Method

• Grease a 9×13 inch (22.5×32.5 cm) casserole dish. Set aside.
• Scrub potatoes and place in a pot large enough to hold them in a single layer. There’s no need to peel them as most of the skin will slip off when you grate them later.
• Add just enough water to cover then sprinkle coarse sea salt over top. Cover and bring to a boil, cooking until potatoes are just tender (overcooking will make them harder to grate). Remove from pot and place on a plate; refrigerate until cool enough to handle.
• While potatoes are cooling, melt the 2 tablespoons (28g) of butter in the same saucepan you used to cook the potatoes. Add the diced onion and sauté over medium heat until the onions have softened; about 3 minutes.
• Combine the chicken stock and cornstarch; stir until smooth. Add to the onions in the pan along with the garlic powder. Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thickened then stir in cream and set aside.
• Shred potatoes into a large bowl using a box grater. Discard large pieces of potato skin that accumulate as you grate.
• Stir the sour cream, 1/4 cup (60 mL) melted butter, pepper and 1/2 cup minced chives into the cooled onion mixture.
• If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375F.
• Add onion/cream mixture and 2 cups of the grated cheddar to the shredded potatoes in the bowl and stir gently until thoroughly combined.
• Pour mixture into the prepared casserole dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese (blended with panko, if using).
• At this point, the casserole can be covered with foil and refrigerated for up to 48 hours before baking.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven with the foil cover on the dish for 20 minutes then remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until bubbling hot and golden on top. Let stand 3 – 5 minutes then serve.

Serves 10-12.