Cooking surprise: Add boiled eggs to your potato casserole

I regularly serve potato casseroles at my home. They’re a hearty, simple, and delicious dinner dish. They also don’t take much time because I arrange the prepared ingredients in a baking dish, and the oven does the rest for me. Usually, I stick to a regular repertoire of ingredients, but the English version of the dish with boiled eggs tempted me like few things do.

The addition of eggs is not new, but they are usually used in a raw, unprocessed form. Beaten with, for example, cream, they are suitable for pouring over other ingredients to create a tasty cover after baking. In the "English style" recipe, I refer to a dish like shepherd’s pie – a shepherd’s pie, where the top of the casserole is mashed potatoes. I added boiled eggs and a bit of cheese to this layer because that always fits. The effect truly surprises me with its taste!

Boiled eggs are the element of surprise in the dish, which also surprised my family at home. Halved eggs arranged cut side up not only greatly enrich the dish with a portion of protein but also make it look intriguing and simply everyone wants to try it. The eggs should be cooked medium – 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 of cold water.

Importantly, you can use "yesterday’s dinner" potatoes to prepare this dish. Mashed to a smooth mass, they will work perfectly. You can also cook them and prepare smooth mashed potatoes with some butter and milk. Then, you can use a bit less cheese.

Ingredients:

                                              
• 1 lb of cooked potatoes
• 1 lb of minced beef and pork
• White part of a leek
• 1 medium onion
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 tbsp of soft butter
• 7 oz of grated gouda cheese
• Half a tsp of sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp of hot paprika
• 1/2 tsp of granulated garlic
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Peel and dice the onion. Peel and grate the carrot on a fine grater. Slice the leek into half-moons.
2. Boil the eggs to medium doneness.
3. Heat the oil in a pan, sauté the onion, and then 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 minced meat.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
6. Press the potatoes through a ricer or mash them thoroughly. Combine with the soft butter and half of the cheese.
7. Grease an ovenproof dish with butter. Layer the meat, sautéed vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Smooth out, sprinkle the remaining cheese, and arrange the egg halves.
8. Bake the casserole for about 35 minutes. Before serving, you can sprinkle with parsley.