Layered Potato and Meat Bake
This hearty baked casserole layers creamy mashed potato with a rich tomato-meat sauce, sliced ham, and bubbling mozzarella cheese. It's the kind of crowd-pleasing comfort food that disappears fast at the dinner table.
🛒 Ingredients
6 servings
- 6 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¾ cup warm whole milk
- Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
- 1 lb (500 g) ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 4 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 9 oz (250 g) sliced deli ham
- 9 oz (250 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- Dried oregano, for topping
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Directions
- 1
Preheat oven to 355 °F (180 °C). Grease a large baking dish with butter.
- 2
Mash the boiled potatoes with butter and warm milk to form a thick, firm mash — it should hold its shape when layered. Season with salt and white pepper.
- 3
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft, then add the ground beef, breaking it apart as it browns. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and parsley, season to taste, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- 4
Spread an even layer of mashed potato across the bottom of the greased baking dish.
- 5
Spoon half the meat sauce over the potato layer, then top with half the ham slices and a generous handful of shredded mozzarella.
- 6
Repeat the layers — potato, meat sauce, ham, mozzarella — until the dish is full.
- 7
Finish with a thick layer of mozzarella on top and a sprinkle of dried oregano.
- 8
Bake for 25–30 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
💡 Chef's Tip
Make it ahead: assemble the bake up to a day in advance, cover and refrigerate, then bake straight from the fridge adding 10 extra minutes. For a richer mash, swap some milk for sour cream.
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Same category — Meats
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