Potato Mushroom Bake

I bet you are going to go scraping the baking dish and fighting for the little bits stuck to the bottom. That's what happens every time I bake this Creamy POTATO MUSHROOM BAKE. Thyme and basil are my two favourite herbs and they are just wonderful. But if you have not got fresh herbs, dried ones are absolutely fine. You can also use any seasoning you like pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning its just goes fine with it. You can serve this as a side or as main itself.

Serves 3

You Will Need:

200g Mushrooms, Halved or Whole

A Kilo of Potato, Sliced Little Thickly

Tbsp of Butter

Bread Crumbs to Sprinkle

2 tbsp of Grated Cheese

For White Sauce:

2 tbsp of Butter

1 Heaped tbsp of Plain Flour

500ml of Whole Milk

2 tbsp Of your favourite Cheese

Salt to Taste

Pepper to Season

For Seasoning:

Dried Basil

Dried Thyme

Chili Flakes

Salt

The Cooking:

Preparing the Mushrooms:

Heat a pan with a knob of butter and tumble in the mushrooms. Keep the heat high throughout sautéing. Sprinkle salt, chilli flakes and dried herbs. Toss the mushrooms on high heat for couple of mins till they turn light brown colour. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and let it rest.

Preparing the Potatoes:

Add the sliced potatoes in boiling water and let to cook till half done. Strain the potatoes and tumble them immediately on to the same pan you used to saute the mushrooms. Again keep the heat on high and sprinkle salt, chilli flakes and dried herbs tossing the potatoes till they are slightly browned on both sides. Take off heat and tumble this over the waiting mushrooms.

Preparing White Sauce:

Add oil / butter to a heavy bottom sauce pan and stir in the plain flour. Keep the heat low and saute the flour to form a smooth paste. Change to a whisk and start to pour in the milk gradually. Keep whisking to breakdown any lumps. Let this simmer over low heat and whisk occasionally till the sauce begins to thicken. Now season with salt and pepper. The sauce needs to be little thick and in pouring consistency. Add the cheese and whisk for a min. If you find its too thick, thin it out with little milk. Or if too runny, add little flour. Once done take off heat and start assembling.

Tumble in the potatoes and mushrooms into a baking dish and then Pour over the white sauce, sprinkle over the bread crumbs and bake in a preheated oven for 30 mins (APPROX.) at 250c till the top is golden brown.

IMPORTANT POINTERS: