by AntoniaJames
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AntoniaJames's Notes:
Expand1 pound yellow or sweet onions Ask a question about this ingredient
8 cloves of garlic, crushed but not peeled Ask a question about this ingredient
Olive oil and salt for roasting Ask a question about this ingredient
2 pounds large white or red potatoes, peeled and quartered Ask a question about this ingredient
1 1/2 cup homemade beef stock (substitute the best chicken stock you can find if you don’t have homemade beef stock) Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup fresh ricotta Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons half-and-half Ask a question about this ingredient
Salt and pepper to taste Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons crème fraiche, or additional fresh ricotta Ask a question about this ingredient
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ask a question about this stepPut the peeled and quartered potatoes in a heavy saucepan with the beef stock and enough cold water to cover them by at least an inch. (Please see the note below, about the beef stock used for this recipe.) Make sure that the beef stock is well strained. Boil the potatoes until just tender.
Ask a question about this stepCut the tops and bottoms off the onions, remove the outer layer, and slice horizontally into fat rings, about ½ inch thick. Don’t bother separating the inner rings, but don’t worry if they come out while you’re putting the onions on the pan. Put the onions on the pan, too. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the onions and garlic, then drizzle a bit of olive oil over all of it. Toss lightly.
Ask a question about this stepRoast for 10 minutes. Turn the onions and garlic over on the pan, moving any onions that are browning more quickly into the center.
Ask a question about this stepRoast for another five minutes, or until the onion is very soft and starting to turn a medium brown color on the edges, then remove from the oven. Using a small knife or your fingers, pull the the cooked garlic flesh from the skins, cutting off the hard ends if necessary. Don’t worry about getting it all.
Ask a question about this stepProcess the onions and garlic in a food processor until they resemble a thin sauce.
Ask a question about this stepAdd the ricotta and half-and-half and pulse a few times to incorporate. If the potatoes are not done cooking, remove the onion mixture from the food processor and put them in a covered bowl.
Ask a question about this stepWhen the potatoes are tender, drain them. (Save the cooking liquid for making bread.) Return the potatoes to the hot pan and cook for ten or 15 seconds, to dry the potatoes out.
Ask a question about this stepMash by hand using whatever method you prefer. Add the roasted onion and ricotta mixture and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste, heat very gently to combine the flavors for a minute or two, adding more stock if you need it. You could also add half-and-half, if you prefer.
Ask a question about this stepStir in the crème fraiche or additional ricotta immediately before serving.
Ask a question about this stepEnjoy!!
Ask a question about this stepHere's a note about the beef stock. If you don't have decent homemade beef broth, use the best quality of chicken broth you can find. ;o)
Ask a question about this stepWow! This looks amazing!
I've stirred cream cheese into mashed potatoes, but never ricotta. Sounds delish especially with the aromatics added!
I made these for Christmas dinner to go with spice rubbed roasted lamb -- AJ, these potatoes were delicious. You are so right, I did not miss the typical full of cream and butter mashed potatoes one bit! I will definitely be making these again in the future. Thanks for a lovely recipe.
Cooking potatoes in meat stock!!! Now that's something I had never thought of. Next time I'll try this method. I also like how light you make the mashed potatoes! Brilliant recipe. Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you!! Well, the beef broth comes from (a) a habit when I was younger and a devout "section eater" of always saving the potatoes in beef stew until last, then mashing them with whatever gravy was in the bowl and (b) an appreciation of really great beef broth, going back to when I was 25, newly married, living in NY and shopping at the Jefferson Market, where the kind butchers gave me any kind of bones that I wanted, for free, and plenty of friendly and helpful advice on how to use virtually every cut of meat they sold. I learned more about cooking from those guys than you would ever imagine. Fortunately, all these years later -- it's been 25 years since I moved to California -- I have similarly helpful and cheerful butchers within an even better grocery store. Beef broth is the easiest thing in the world to make, and one of the truly great base ingredients for so many things -- especially mashed potatoes!!
Mollie is the best-selling author of many (mostly) vegetarian cookbooks, including the original Moosewood Cookbook, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, and a trilogy of cookbooks for kids. Her most recent title is Get Cooking : 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen.
Made this last night and will definitely be making again! What a great {and delicious} idea...ricotta in mashed potatoes. Mmmmm...