The Secret Ingredient To Amazing Mashed Potatoes
I like mashed potatoes but I never really LOVED them until I tried these amazing baked mashed potatoes. Our daughter, Alexandra’s fiancé (first time I’ve said that~they just got engaged last weekend), Luca was here for Thanksgiving. He made his mom’s delicious recipe for us. This pretty much elevates mashed potatoes to a new level.
Francesca’s Amazing Baked Mashed Potatoes with Mozzarella and Peas
The secret ingredient of the mozzarella chunks makes the cheese melted/stringy as you serve it (like lasagna). As Luca says “Mozzarella stretches like stringy telephones wires across the table.” Fun! And the addition of the peas is amazing.
Sometimes Francesca bakes garlic heads and squeezes them into the potatoes before mashing. Luca didn’t do that this time.
Francesca's Baked Mashed Potatoes With Peas and Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 5 lbs russet potatoes peeled, cut into chunks
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 1 to 1.5 cups whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 pinch fresh ground nutmeg
- 1.5 cups fresh mozzarella cut into one-inch chunks
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
Peas
- 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
- 1 tbs butter
- 1 - 2 cloves chopped garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13 x 9" baking dish.
- For the potatoes: In a large saucepan, combine the salt, and potatoes. Add enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the same pot. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes. Important to use a hand masher! Mix in enough milk to make the potatoes fluffy. Then, add the nutmeg, mozzarella chunks, and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking dish. Make a small indentation in the center for the peas.
- In a small pan, sautée the peas in butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook briefly. Spoon into the indentation.
- Sprinkle the top of the dish with parmesan cheese and dot with little pats of butter. Cover in foil and bake for 20 minutes or so (you want the mozzarella to melt). Then, uncover and broil until golden brown.
- Serve warm.
Blue Rose Polish Pottery Oval Baker
I’ve had our oval baker for years and love it. Now I notice that Target is carrying several sizes of these Polish pottery baking dishes.
What a great gift…especially if you included the recipe above.
SF Dinner Party With Dungeness Cracked Crab
We also had a Dungeness crab feast with roasted asparagus.
Welcome to the fam, Luca (next to Alexandra). I’m glad your mama taught you to cook…and that you have great taste in women.
Give these amazing baked mashed potatoes a try!
You may also like Recipes for the Holidays
22 Chic Gifts Under $50 For Entertaining At Home
Make Your Best Party Platter Ever!
Mary Ann, This is big news. Wow congrats to Alexandra and Luca! How exciting for you all!! Love this recipe. It’s totally different and I think we need comfort food now. It’s perfect. Have a great weekend. – Oh also love that baking dish! They are so pretty. xo Kim
Mary Ann,
Congratulations! Lucca will be a great addition to the family! The mashed potatoes look delicious. We will definitely be trying the recipe.
xo,
Karen
Congratulations, how wonderful for your family to have a wedding to look forward to !
This recipe is being added to our Christmas menu for sure With crab for Christmas Eve so
perfect.
Sad to hear you are in shut down again , here in Montana we have the third highest amount
of cases per population in the nation so scary .
Hope everyone is staying healthy and Safe
That is so scary, Alexis! Take care.
I’m glad Dolly is going to have a great Dad…who loves to cook. All the best to your latest family addition. That daughter of yous is one smart cookie! As for potatoes, I’m sticking with the French recipe that calls for enough potatoes to hold the butter together! Happy holidays and a table load of laughter, love and good times.
Cindy H and I were commenting this morning about how you always leave the sweetest comments. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
What wonderful news! All the best to Alexandra and Luca. What a happy couple!
Your table is so pretty. The food looks scrumptious.
The recipe looks amazing! I wonder how it would be if you used burrata?? I’m thinking Christmas dinner with beef tenderloin or pork loin …. Congratulations on your daughter’s engagement – how very exciting!
The potato recipe is it all!!! OMG. Do I dare?
PS. Congratulations. Oh, those potatoes.
Hi Mary Ann,
Exciting news! Congratulations to all of you! Nice to have something like a wedding to look forward to!
The mashed potatoes sound delicious. I love them, with sour cream, or cheese, or garlic and butter. I’m going to try this way next time. You always share the best recipes!
Xo Heidi
Yay how exciting a wedding in your future! Congrats to Alexandra and Luca! The potatoes sound delicious! I make a version with Yukon Golds and carrots with a little heavy cream and butter. Definitely better than plain. My sister-in-law makes potatoes at the holiday dinners and we call them heart attack potatoes because she puts a whole pound of butter in them!
Congratulations on the wonderful news! We all need that right now.
The potatoes look delicious. Will have to try the recipe. I was so inspired by your tablescape that I came up with my own (slightly modified) version, so thank you for that!
Congratulations to your whole family…so exciting! Welcome Luca!
Thank YOU
Yay! Another cook in the family. Congratulations Alie Girl and Luca! Love, Aunt K.
Yes…isn’t it great!
Well I love potatoes and these look right up the spud alley! Thank you for sharing!
Congratulations to Luca and Alie! Going to make these potatoes for Christmas day. Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations, how wonderful for your family to have a wedding to look forward to !
This recipe is being added to our Christmas menu for sure With crab for Christmas Eve so
perfect.
Sad to here you are in shut down again , here in Montana we have the third highest amount
of cases per population in the nation so scary .
Hope everyone is staying healthy and Safe
YUM! We actually had the mashed potatoes with roast beef on Thanksgiving and the crab the following day! Stay safe!
I followed the link to your jewelled tree. I am looking for a way to use up my late mother’s vast collection of costume jewelry and this looks like a great idea, I have seen some cute framed trees using antique buttons but I needed a larger piece and this is perfect! Between my Mom and my Aunt they were such magpies!! Lucky me to have inherited their largesse! Back in the ‘50’s it was a là mode to collect sets of sparkling costume jewels. The earrings are all clip which are uncomfortable so I would never use. The pins are pretty though and I wear them.
Your apartment looks so pretty with that view day and night really no need to go all out with the holiday decor, your simple homage to the season is enough!
Allison,
That’s great about the costume jewelry. I am going to make another tree for next year. Have fun and merry Christmas!
Congratulations to your entire family!!
Alexandra and Luca- Italian names- what will their last name be?
Certainly hope you can take that postponed trip to Italy soon.
BUON NATALE!!
Thanks, Robin! I’m not sure what last name they will choose 🙂
OH I LOVED THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND RECIPE!!!
I will definitely TRY these potatoes!
Don’t tell LUCA I just bought BOXED MASHED POTATOES as I loved as a CHILD!ITs all about COMFORT FOOD NOW!
BRILLIANT NEWS…………….ON THE ENGAGEMENT!!!!
AUGURI~ AUGURI ~AUGURI!!!!!
XX
I’m so happy for Alie and Luca!
We will have these potatoes for Christmas dinner! Congratulations to Alexandra and Lucca and to you all! Beautiful family. Do you have any information about your jewelry tree? I saw it in a picture. I make these all the time, but I love the idea of using charms. Thanks.
https://classiccasualhome.com/new-christmasy-embellishments/
Enjoy the potatoes!