Potato casserole meets English twist: A surprising family favourite

I regularly serve potato casseroles at my home. They're a hearty, simple, and delicious dinner dish. They don't take much time, either, as I place the prepared ingredients in a baking dish and let the oven do the rest. I tend to stick to a regular repertoire of ingredients, but the English version of the dish with boiled eggs tempted me more than most.

Adding eggs is not new, but they are usually used in raw, unprocessed form. Beaten eggs, for example, with cream, are perfect for pouring over other ingredients to create a tasty cover after baking. In this "English" recipe, I refer to a dish similar to shepherd's pie - a shepherd's casserole, where the top layer is mashed potatoes. I added cooked eggs and some cheese to this layer because that always fits. The result is surprisingly delicious!

Boiled eggs are the surprise element in the dish, which also surprised my family. Halves of eggs placed cut side up not only enrich the dish with a portion of protein but also make it look intriguing, and everyone simply wants to try it. The eggs should be cooked to a medium level - take them out of the fridge earlier, put them in boiling, lightly salted water, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Transfer the cooked eggs to a bowl with cold water.

Importantly, you can use "yesterday's dinner" potatoes to prepare this dish. Mashed into a smooth mass, they will work excellently. You can also cook them and prepare smooth mashed potatoes with butter and milk. In that case, you can use slightly less cheese.

Ingredients:                  

• 21 oz cooked potatoes
• 18 oz ground beef-pork mix
• The white part of a leek
• 1 medium onion
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 tablespoon soft butter
• 7 oz grated Gouda cheese
• Half a teaspoon sweet paprika, 1/4 teaspoon hot paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:              

1. Peel and dice the onion. Peel the carrot and grate it on a fine grater. Slice the leek into half-rings.
2. Cook the eggs to a medium level.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan, sauté the onion, and after a moment, add the leek and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add the carrot, season with spices, and mix. Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the pan.
4. Sauté the meat.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
6. Press the potatoes through a ricer or mash them thoroughly with a potato masher. Combine with softened butter and half of the cheese.
7. Grease a heatproof dish with butter. Spread the meat, sautéed vegetables, and potatoes out. Smooth them out, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, and add the egg halves.
8. Bake the casserole for about 35 minutes. Before serving, you can sprinkle it with parsley.