Summer twist: Elevate your table with baked potato kefir casserole

Potatoes with kefir have already become a cult dish. It's no wonder—it refreshes perfectly, is filling for a long time, and brings back many childhood memories. This combination, although very frugal and simple, can take centre stage in your summer menu for guests with a slight enhancement. You'll love this recipe.

When I say that potatoes with kefir in this version are elegant, I do not mean a dish from a fancy restaurant. It's more about a different way of serving that allows us to maintain the flavour of a beloved seasonal meal, but the form of the dish itself is intriguing and makes it suitable for a more formal gathering.

Potatoes with kefir are almost the perfect meal at this time. This culinary tradition of consuming boiled young potatoes sprinkled with greens and served with a glass of kefir, sour milk, or buttermilk has been around for years. Despite that, it is so universal that it doesn't seem to be disappearing. However, it must be admitted that this is not a dish suitable for every occasion. Because even if we praise this beloved homely meal as much as we like, for more significant celebrations, we usually plan to serve something more "extra."

However, it only takes a slight tweaking of the recipe to transform potatoes with kefir from a simple meal into a fragrant summer casserole that you can serve alongside roast meat and a salad or warm sugar snap peas. And the best part is that the ingredient list, in this case, hasn't undergone significant modifications.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilogram of potatoes,
• 500 millilitres of kefir,
• 1 onion,
• 3 cloves of garlic,
• 200 grams of yellow cheese,
• oil for frying,
• salt and pepper,
• green onions,
• optional: dried or fresh thyme and nigella seeds.

Preparation:

1. Slice the onion and sauté it in a skillet until it becomes translucent. Add minced garlic towards the end of frying.
2. Peel and slice the potatoes.
3. Line a baking dish or casserole with parchment paper. Layer the bottom with potatoes, then add the sautéed onion with garlic, part of the grated yellow cheese, salt, pepper, and green onions.
4. Pour the kefir over the entire mixture and gently stir.
5. Bake the entire dish for about 35 minutes at 180°C. After this time, sprinkle the casserole with the remaining cheese, some nigella seeds, and thyme, and bake for another 15 minutes.
6. Serve with a fresh salad or warm sugar snap peas.