Creamy Mashed Potato Casserole with Sage and Fontina

I wanted to test this recipe before suggesting it for Thanksgiving. It’s been in my cooking folder for ages, and so I just went for it, especially because it uses sage and I had some sitting in the fridge.

Recipe from (https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/mashed-potato-casserole-sage-and-fontina)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
• 3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche (4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped sage plus 12 sage leaves
• 8 ounces imported Fontina cheese, shredded
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1/3 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Olive oil, for frying

How to Make It:
Step 1 Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly grease a 2- quart shallow baking dish. In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Mash the potatoes with 4 tablespoons of the butter, the crème fraîche, parsley and chopped sage. Fold in the Fontina and season with salt and pepper. Spread the potato mixture in the prepared dish in an even layer.

Step 2 In a small bowl, using your fingers, blend the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan until coarse crumbs form. Top the potatoes with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden and crisp on top.

Step 3 Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil over low heat. Add the sage leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer the sage to paper towels to drain. Scatter the fried sage over the casserole and serve.

Make Ahead The assembled unbaked casserole can be refrigerated overnight.


My notes:
It was good, but not great. I liked the sage, creme fraiche, parsley, and fontina in the mashed potato, but it probably could’ve used more butter. I also liked the crispy breadcrumb topping, which browned nicely. But overall, though this dish would feed a crowd, it wasn’t rich enough for Thanksgiving. I think if I’d added more cheese, butter, and salt honestly, it would’ve been excellent. However, I doubt I’ll make this recipe again for just two people.


Pictures