Dr Mobeus
Cheesy Potato and Onion Bake
Potatoes and onions are the two cheapest things in any UK supermarket, and this bake turns them into something that tastes like it belongs on a restaurant menu. Slow-cooking the onions until they are sweet and golden is the key – it takes 15 minutes of patience but transforms the flavour completely. At 53p a portion this is comfort food at its most affordable. The cheese on top gets crispy and golden and the potatoes underneath go soft and creamy from the milk. It is the kind of dish that makes you forget it is a budget meal.
Cheesy Potato and Onion Bake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/Gas 5. Butter a medium ovenproof dish.
- Melt half the butter in a pan over low heat. Add the sliced onions and cook gently for 15 minutes until very soft and golden. Add the garlic and thyme for the last minute.
- Layer half the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the dish. Season with salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Spread the caramelised onions over the top.
- Layer the remaining potatoes on top. Season again. Pour over the milk.
- Dot the remaining butter over the top and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle over the grated cheese and bake for another 15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
Tips and Variations
Slice the potatoes as thinly as you can – a mandoline is ideal if you have one, but a sharp knife works fine. Parboiling the potato slices for 3 minutes cuts the baking time by 15 minutes. This reheats brilliantly the next day and is actually better for it. Add a layer of sliced tomatoes between the potatoes for extra flavour.
