Parmesan Crusted Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6-8 people
2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 8-10 medium pieces
8 ounces melted butter
2 cups heavy cream, warm
2-3 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
Parsley, chopped, for garnish
Olive oil
Ground white pepper
Salt
Preheat oven to broil. Put potatoes in a suitable sauce pan or pot, add water just to cover, and season with salt. Bring potatoes to a light simmer and let them cook for 30-40 minutes. Check with a fork: once they are tender, strain, and allow them to steam for 1-2 minutes.
While potatoes are cooking, in a separate small saucepan, warm the cream and butter and hold warm to the side.
To get rid of as much water as possible, place potatoes back in pot with heat on, until they have more or less stopped steaming. Then process them in a ricer or food mill. Next, add about ⅓ of the hot liquid at a time and stir until potatoes have a smooth, rich consistency. Be careful not to overwork the potatoes, as they can become waxy.
Put potatoes in a casserole dish. Cover them with Parmesan cheese and place in the broiler. DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THEM! It takes only a few minutes. Once the cheese reaches a golden-brown color, remove from oven and finish with parsley, olive oil, and pepper to taste. Serve as soon as you can!
