Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon butter

4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup whole milk

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1½ cups grated mozzarella

1 cup freshly grated parmesan

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs


Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter and set aside.



Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until they are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return the potatoes to the same pot and mash well.



Mix in the milk and melted butter. Mix in the mozzarella and ¾ cup of the Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking dish. Stir the bread crumbs and remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the mashed potatoes. Recipe can be prepared up to this point 6 hours ahead of time; cover and chill. Bake, uncovered, until the topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes.



Yields: 6-8 Servings



Time to make: 35 min