Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs

This is a great dish for company OR a simple weeknight meal. Start cooking the potatoes while you are getting your other dishes ready and then the mashing and addition of other ingredients takes no time at all. I have prepared this in advance before as well (all the way up to right before baking) and it works fabulously.

And you will not be disappointed! I use either white round potatoes (not Idaho) or Yukon golds and leave the skin on; partially because I am a little lazy, and partially because I like the texture it gives to the final product. The creamy cheeses and crusty breadcrumbs all combine with the potatoes to make a great dish! Also, use buttermilk if you have it in place of the whole milk, even creamier!

I originally found this recipes in Giada's Family Dinners cookbook, but it's also online, so I have linked you to that below. And when I make this for just Chuck and myself, I halve everything and bake in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.

Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs
from Giada DeLaurentiis
Makes 4-6 servings

1 tablespoon butter
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (I use Yukon gold or white round)
1 cup whole milk (buttermilk)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 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 degrees 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 3/4 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 1/4 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.