I thought i would do scalloped potatoes for tea the other night, for something different. What a disaster that was!The cheese & milk separated and the potatoes weren't properly cooked. Does anyone have a foolproof recipe! I only ever have Colby cheese in the fridge. Is that where it went wrong! And despite cooking for over 40 minutes, the thinly sliced potato still wasn't cooked thru properly. Any help, suggestions, recipes greatly appreciated!
bootylicious5,
Nov 6, 8:58pm
I have had the same problem as you except I used cream instead of milk. Am interested to find a better recipe/technique also.
basenjibabe,
Nov 6, 8:58pm
I should also say I am looking for a recipe that is nice and simply and doesn't rely on sachets of anything.The recipe i used was thinly sliced potato, grated cheese (layered, finishing with cheese on top), then pour milk over and bake covered.
fifie,
Nov 6, 9:31pm
Usually make mine with a thin cheese sauce, grated onion and chopped bacon with tasty cheese in between layers of potato slicesfinish with grated cheese S/P and sprinkle of paprika on top. OR sometimes i dobacon, onion, crushed garlic, and add 1 tablespoon chicken stock tothe cream and pour over potatoes. I make whatever i have in fridge, main thing i found is Zap potato slices few mins, or pre boil them cool and slice, to start the cooking process. If you don't do that suggest you cover the dish bake for longer to get the potatoes cooked, thentake cover off and bake further till top is brown.
ferita,
Nov 6, 9:38pm
You need to slice the potatoes really thin. Use a mandolin to do it, it will make it much easier.
Dont use milk use cream. The easiest recipe is to use heavily seasoned cream, use finely chopped and well fried onions, salt and pepper and some vegeta stock powder and then pour it over the sliced potatoes. Bake covered for about 45 minutes than uncovered for another 30 minutes or until browned. You dont need cheese but can add it.
I used to cook massive trays of it when I was a chef. I used to love eating it cold on sandwiches with sweet chili sauce
mizzmiff,
Nov 6, 9:45pm
oh yum.don't give me ideas like that ferita!
daleaway,
Nov 6, 10:29pm
I usually cook it for at least an hour at 180C or so. You'll get better results with tasty cheese than you will with a mild Colby. And make sure you are using floury potatoes rather than the waxy sort.
Finally, try using the tinned potato bake mix for your sauce - it's not a bad product at all.
Thinly slice about 6 med-large potatoes layer half in a microwave proof dish. Melt 30gm butter and mix in 1 onion finely sliced, pour this mix over spuds. Layer the rest of the spuds on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Finally pour 2/3 cup milk over it. Cover with gladwrap poke some holes in wrap and microwave 8 mins. Remove wrap and microwave another 10 mins. Everyone loves it. I can never get an oven baked one right for some reason, it's always crunchy, looks like crap etc
karenz,
Nov 6, 11:53pm
May have been the wrong variety of potato, Agria are good for this, waxy potatoes not so good.
uli,
Nov 7, 12:46am
I never use cheese, just very finely sliced raw potatoes, salt, pepper and lots of cream. Bake in the oven for about an hour.
Agria are waxy potatoes - at least when I grow them.
karenz,
Nov 7, 1:28am
Didn't realise Agria were waxy, thought they were all purpose, maybe they are waxy early in the season, I know they don't have that "earthy" taste right now, but then I buy them don't grow them.
lythande1,
Nov 7, 1:40am
Cheat. Slice with a mandolin. Cheap ones are fine. Make cheese sauce instead, not too gluggy, which I find those mild cheeses are, tip over. Perfect.
kay141,
Nov 7, 1:57am
Agria are waxy when new but, like most all purpose potatoes change to floury as they get older. Older agrias are great for roasting, chipping and baked potatoes. Should be OK for scalloped.
karenz,
Nov 7, 2:18am
I used new season Agria for a potato bake this week and they were great, held their shape but absorbed the cream, I quite like Rua too but they don't seem so common these days.
uli,
Nov 7, 4:35am
Lots of Rua in our Pak'n'Save at present. Very cheap too - 7 dollars for 10kgs. Not a fan of Rua myself as they often fall apart - even if steamed rather than boiled.
karenz,
Nov 7, 4:43am
I like potatoes with a real earthy taste, Agria were like this when they first came into the shops, they were also a lot bumpier and uglier, now they are pretty much even sized and smooth and don't taste anywhere like as good.
voidhawkltd,
Nov 7, 6:02am
My mum taught me to make it using a sachet of maggi onion soup!Make it as usual but sprinkle the soup mix between layers and top off with milk, makes it creamy and it doesn't separate.Adds an extra little flavour to the sauce!
kay141,
Nov 7, 6:13am
Like a lot of things, agrias are now bred to suit the big users. It is easier to grade, wash and machine peel them etc if they are nice and smooth. . Also there was a lot of complaints that they were too hard to peel especially from some of the commercial users. Taste doesn't seem to come into it.
basenjibabe,
Nov 7, 7:51am
OK, so lots to think about. I just buy the washed, all purpose potatoes which i think are Nadine. I wanted to get away from using canned/sachet mixes cos I like to make things from scratch. Might have to go with pre-cooking them and making a cheese sauce.
uli,
Nov 7, 8:16am
I would so have loved to see you saying: " my mum taught me to make it using potatoes, salt pepper and cream - healthy natural ingredients.
It seems it is now 2 or even 3 generations of people not being able to pick stuff from the garden and cook it . this is not very encouraging.
How can we help you voidhawkltd et al (meaning everybody else) .!
wendalls,
Nov 7, 9:01am
Well i have been doing a microwave version for years. 4or 5 washed potatoes cook on high about 10 minsMake cheese sauce in microwave easy as. cook bacon and sprinkle pieces over layers of thick slices of cooked potato placed in microwave dish. No need to peel spuds. poor over cheese sauce. Cook 4 or 5 mins more then add a layer of cheese, crushed chips anda bit of green herb stock powder. Cook 2 more mins on high and serve. Recipe by Glenys raffils.
bunny51,
Nov 7, 9:02am
uli wrote:
I would so have loved to see you saying: " my mum taught me to make it using potatoes, salt pepper and cream - healthy natural ingredients.
My mother used to make it like that but with slices of onion layered with the potatoes. and she put some cheese on top tooo.
mackenzie2,
Nov 7, 8:20pm
I make it a really easy way. Slice potatoes finely, spread half them into a oven proof dish, add chopped onion/bacon/salt and pepper, and a cube of chicken stock, then put the rest of the potatoes on top, pour enough cream in so that you can just see it below the top of the potatoes, then cover with gladwrap and zap in the microwave for 14 mins (I do a big one so check your times) when a knife slides through easily, I replace gladwrap and put a weight to push it all down and combine flavours, it is now ready to use immediatly or even the next day, sprinkle with cheese rezap in microwave and grill till golden on top.
soundsie1,
Nov 7, 8:51pm
mines easy peasy and is always first to go at bbqs etc.slice potatoes finely.layer them alternately with chopped mushrooms into shallow roasting dish greased with garlic butter.mix bottle cream with a bacon and onion maggi soup mix and pour over.i dont usually add cheese to top but you can.black pepper and bake round an hr/hr and half at 180-200
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