Potato Hay Recipes

AMISH POTATO HAYSTACK RECIPE

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes in their skins. Drain and set aside to cool.
• While the potatoes are cooling, peel and chop the onion; set aside.
• Shred the cheddar cheese; set aside.
• Prepare the cheese sauce heating 1 cup of the milk on the stove in a pot. Off the stove, whisk the flour into another half cup of milk. Add to the heated milk, and whisk frequently until it comes to a boil. Remove from stove. Chop up the Velveeta ® cheese into a few pieces, add it to the milk, and cover the pot to help the cheese melt better. Set aside. When you go to use it later, give it a final whisk to blend smooth.
• Mix together the ranch dressing mix with the sour cream and the remaining 1/2 cup of milk; set aside.
• When the potatoes have cooled enough to handle comfortably, peel and shred them. Set aside.
• Start oven heating to 175 C / 350 F / Gas Mark 4.
• Fry the minced beef with the onion. Give this a head start of a few minutes, then stir in the taco seasoning mix, then the shredded potato. Season as desired to taste (salt, pepper, etc.)
• In a largish, deep, casserole dish, make alternate layers of the meat / potato mixture with the ranch dressing mixture. Top with the cheese sauce.
• Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle with the grated cheddar, and return to oven for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese.
• While it is baking, roughly crush the tortilla chips (with a rolling pin, etc.)
• When casserole is done, remove from oven, sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips, and serve hot.

POTATO PAVE

Steps:

• Prepare pavé at least 6 hours ahead of time. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a large pot over medium heat, simmer cream, garlic, nutmeg, pinch of salt and freshly ground white pepper. Reduce by one-third.
• Blanch potato slices in seasoned cream until three-quarters cooked. Cook 1/3 of sliced potatoes at a time. Remove slices with a slotted spoon.
• Brush a loaf pan with vegetable oil.Overlap potato slices in a single layer in the loaf pan. Season with salt and pepper.Repeat until all potato slices are used. Tightly cover the potatoes with a sheet of aluminum foil and place another loaf pan over the foil and push down to compact potatoes.Remove foil and drizzle butter over potatoes.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown on top and tender when tested with a knife.Remove pavé from oven and allow to cool for thirty minutes.Place foil on top and compact pave again by pressing on top with a loaf pan.Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
• To Serve: Cut pavé into desired shape and reheat in oven or microwave with a little dab of butter on top.