Potato casserole: A versatile meal for any season

A casserole works wonderfully when I don't have an idea for dinner. You can prepare a meal for the whole family in just a few moments. It’s easy to reheat, so it's perfect when everyone returns home at different times. It's hearty and very tasty, and my loved ones adore it.

Potato casserole is a year-round dish. It warms you up in the fall and winter and is satisfying in the spring and summer when there's no time for cooking. You can hide many ingredients under a layer of cheese and potatoes, so you can often "clean out" the fridge by adding peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, or onions. To make it more nourishing, add a portion of protein and fat in the form of meat or cheese.

The base, of course, is potatoes. You can slice them or cut them into cubes; in the case of larger pieces, it's good to precook them so they don't turn out hard after taking them out of the oven. The additions are up to you. Add vegetables, meat, cold cuts, cheeses, or mushrooms to the casserole. Onions, mushrooms, sausage, bacon, ham, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, mozzarella, or cheddar cheese work well.

Ingredients:

                    
• 4 large potatoes,
• 2 eggs,
• 140 grams (5 oz) of bacon,
• several cherry tomatoes,
• 1 red pepper,
• 1 large onion,
• 2 cloves of garlic,
• 3 tablespoons of tomato passata,
• 140 grams (5 oz) of grated mozzarella,
• half a chili pepper,
• salt, pepper, thyme, oregano.

Preparation:

1. Cook the potatoes in salted water until soft. Then mash them with a potato masher or grate them on a coarse grater. Set aside to cool.
2. In a bowl, beat the eggs with salt, pepper, and thyme and add the mixture to the cooled potatoes.
3. Place the potato mixture into a greased baking dish and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 25-30 minutes.
4. Prepare the filling: cut the bacon into small pieces and fry it. Add chopped onion and pepper, then garlic and chilli. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to the vegetables.
5. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook until the vegetables are soft. At the end, add the tomato passata.
6. Transfer the vegetables onto the pre-baked potatoes and sprinkle them with grated mozzarella cheese.
7. Put back into the oven, increasing the temperature to 190°C (375°F). Bake for another 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and browns.

Serve the ready casserole warm. Enjoy!