I could eat this whole dish in one sitting … seriously it is so delicious! It is rich, crispy and cheesy! This savory casserole dish is great to serve for breakfast or any time of the day. It is especially useful if you have to feed many people all at once. Best of all, it can be prepared ahead of time! Just prepare the dish the day before your event and bake the next day. The main ingredients are shredded potatoes, cheese and eggs and I also added spinach and mushrooms. Feel free to make doubles, triples …

RECIPE

4-6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups (1 lb) graded potatoes (I used Russet)
• 4 oz chopped mushrooms (I used crimini)
• 1/4 cold water
• 1 cup spinach
• 2 strips of bacon,chopped (optional)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic clove, crushed
• oil
• 1 tsp Hungarian paprika powder
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1 1/2 cups graded cheese, divided. (cheddar, pepper jack)
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions (optional)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a casserole dish (11 x 8 x 1 inch).
2. Grade the potatoes on a cheese grader. I used the larger holes.
3. 3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry the potatoes for 10 minutes. (The potatoes should be cooked to perfection so they are ready to eat). Set aside.
4. In a separate skillet, fry onions on medium high heat until translucent. Add the sliced bacon for 5 minutes (omit if not using bacon). Add the sliced mushrooms and continue frying them for another 5 minutes. Add paprika and garlic, stir for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup cold water, stir. Add the spinach. Cook for 5 minutes covered. Turn off heat. Add the whisked eggs, milk, cream, salt and half the cheese. If using, add the chopped jalapeno peppers. Set aside.
5. In a medium sized casserole dish, spread the cooked hash-browns on the bottom of the pre-oiled dish. Pour the egg/vegetable mixture on top of the potato layer. Spread the remaining cheese on top.
6. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. (Increase temperature to 400 F for the last 10 minutes if you want a crispy edge). The dish is done when the top has a nice golden color.
7. Add pepper and salt to taste.
8. Serve warm with salsa or ketchup. You can also add sausage, ham etc. In the summer, I like to add seasonal vegetables like lettuce, asparagus. In the winter, I like to add pickles.

Enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by Twincitiesherbs.