Potato, Onion and Cheese Bake for One
A small potato, onion and cheese bake for a quiet supper: tender slices, a golden top and enough to leave a little for tomorrow.
Set at Café Vesper
a quiet supper for one
Ingredients
- 300g potatoes, peeled and sliced 2-3mm thick
- 80g onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 10g butter, plus a little extra for greasing
- 100ml whole milk
- 75ml double cream
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ⅛ tsp fine salt
- a generous pinch of black pepper
- 35g mature Cheddar, grated (vegetarian if needed)
- a handful of dressed green salad, optional, to serve
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C conventional / 170°C fan. Grease a small oven dish (about 700ml, 16 x 12cm) with the extra butter. Keep the potato slices evenly thin so they cook together.
- Melt the 10g butter in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until soft and just beginning to colour.
- Add the milk, cream, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the potato slices and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8 minutes, carefully turning the slices occasionally so they do not stick. They should begin to bend but need not be fully tender.
- Spoon the potatoes and onion into the prepared dish, arranging the slices fairly flat, and pour over every drop of sauce. Leave at least 1cm clear below the rim. Scatter with the cheese.
- Place on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Push a small knife through the centre: it should pass through the potatoes without resistance. If they are still firm, cover loosely with foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
- Leave for 5 minutes before serving, with the green salad if you like.
Essy note: Use lactose-free milk, cream, butter and a labelled lactose-free cheese in the same quantities if needed. For two generous portions, double the ingredients and use a 1.4-1.5 litre dish with a similar filled depth; begin checking at 30 minutes rather than doubling the baking time.
Questions from the Kitchen
Can I put the potatoes into the dish raw?
Follow the short saucepan simmer here. It starts the cooking and helps the potatoes finish before the cheese gets too dark.
Which potatoes work well?
An all-purpose variety such as Maris Piper or a similar medium-starch potato gives tender slices and a sauce that thickens around them.
Is this simply a smaller leek bake?
This version uses softened onion and a small dish for a different supper. The larger Hollowpine potato and leek bake has its own quantities and method.
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Written by Esther
Esther is a photographer and storyteller, and the founder of Essy's Essentials - a seasonal home for stories, rituals, recipes and everyday luxuries.
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