- 30 minutes
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 20 minutes
- Serves 4
Our own recipe. The photograph is AI-generated.
Ingredients
- 1kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward
- 1 teaspoon salt for the cooking water, then more to taste
- 150ml whole milk
- 50g unsalted butter
- A pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
- Black pepper
- To serve: a small handful of fresh chives (about 10g), finely chopped (optional)
Let's cook
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into even chunks about 4cm across, so they all cook at the same speed. Put them in a large pan, cover with cold water and add the teaspoon of salt.
- Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until a knife slides into the middle of a chunk with no resistance.
- While they cook, warm the milk and butter together in a small pan (or in a jug in the microwave) until the butter melts. Warm milk keeps the mash hot and smooth; cold milk makes it gluey.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave them to steam for 2 minutes. Tip them back into the hot, empty pan and set it on the lowest heat for 1 minute to dry off the last of the water.
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, or press them through a potato ricer (a tool like a giant garlic press) for the smoothest result. Do not use a blender or food processor: it makes potatoes sticky.
- Pour in the warm milk and butter a little at a time, beating with a wooden spoon, until the mash is soft and creamy. Add the nutmeg if using, then taste and season with more salt and some pepper.
- Spoon into a warm bowl, make a few swirls with the back of the spoon and scatter over the chives.
Tips
- Start potatoes in cold water so they cook evenly right to the middle.
- Mash keeps warm for 30 minutes in a covered bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.
- Leftover mash keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat it with a splash of milk until steaming hot.
Swaps
- Vegan and dairy free: use 4 tablespoons of good olive oil instead of the butter, and 150ml unsweetened oat milk instead of the milk. Choose an oat milk labelled gluten free to keep it gluten free.
- Garlic mash: simmer 2 peeled garlic cloves with the potatoes and mash them in.
Tags
In Autumn comfort, Feed the family.
Contains: Milk .
Of the 14 allergens, this recipe contains milk, in the milk and butter. Potatoes, nutmeg and chives contain none of the 14.
Check every packet for allergens.