Alright, so the other day I was staring into the fridge, you know how it is, looking for inspiration. Had some potatoes that were starting to look a bit sad, and a good block of cheddar cheese calling my name. The thought just popped into my head: everything’s better with cheddar, right? Decided I’d make something simple, comforting.
Getting Started
First things first, I grabbed those potatoes. Gave them a good scrub under the tap, got all the dirt off. I thought about peeling them, but honestly, I like the skins on, gives it a bit more texture, feels more rustic. So, I just chopped them up. Not too thin, not chunky like stew potatoes, just decent slices, maybe like a quarter-inch thick?
Then, I tossed them in a big bowl. Didn’t do anything fancy. Just drizzled some olive oil over them, enough to coat. Threw in a good pinch of salt and a fair bit of black pepper. Mixed it all up with my hands, making sure every slice got some love.
The Star: Cheddar
Now for the main event. Pulled out that block of sharp cheddar. None of that pre-shredded stuff for this, you gotta grate it yourself. It just melts better, tastes better. I used the big holes on the box grater and went to town. Made a pretty decent pile of shredded cheese. You always need more than you think.
Putting It Together
Found my trusty casserole dish, wasn’t too big, wasn’t too small. Greased it up a bit just in case. Then I started layering. Put down a layer of the seasoned potato slices. Sprinkled a generous handful of that grated cheddar over them. Repeated the process. Potatoes, cheese, potatoes, cheese. Simple as that.
I thought about adding onions or something, but decided to keep it pure this time. Just potatoes and that glorious cheddar. Finished it off with a thick layer of cheese on top, covering everything.
Baking Time
Shoved it into the oven. I preheated it earlier, maybe around 375 degrees Fahrenheit (like 190 Celsius?). Didn’t really time it precisely. Just let it bake away. The kitchen started smelling amazing after about 20 minutes. That cheesy, potatoey smell, you know?
I checked on it maybe after 40 minutes? Stuck a fork into one of the potatoes. Still a bit firm. Let it go longer. Kept checking every 10 minutes or so. You want the potatoes tender all the way through and that cheese on top nice and melted, bubbly, maybe a little bit golden brown and crispy at the edges.
The Result
Finally, it looked perfect. Pulled it out of the oven, letting it sit on the counter for a few minutes. It’s always tempting to dig right in, but gotta let that molten cheese settle a bit. Then, scooped out a big portion onto a plate.
Man, it was good.
- The potatoes were soft and creamy.
- The cheese was gooey inside, crispy on top.
- That sharp cheddar flavor really came through.
It wasn’t fancy gourmet cooking, just simple, hearty food that hits the spot. Proof again that adding a good amount of cheddar really does make things better. Definitely hit the comfort food craving I was having. Clean-up wasn’t even that bad. Just a solid, satisfying meal made from basic stuff I already had. Gonna do this one again for sure.
