Topping my casserole

[Simon Bags]

Morning everyone. I quite often make a chicken, leek, ham casserole in a white sauce, and up until now I always top it with mash potato. However, I'd like to do something a little different and replace the mash with a breadcrumb, but rather than use actual breadcrumbs, can I just spread a packet of Paxo on the top, without adding water, instead? Just a bit worried it might just roast, burn, go dry as a bone.

Cheers, Simon,

[AndyAudi]

Please don’t be offended by this cheap & cheerful suggestion, but

My mother read a recipe once in a supermarket magazine that led her to start making casseroles topped with frozen potato lattices, she now always has in her freezer!

[Simon Bags]

AndyAudi said:

Please don’t be offended by this cheap & cheerful suggestion, but

My mother read a recipe once in a supermarket magazine that led her to start making casseroles topped with frozen potato lattices, she now always has in her freezer!

I actually quite like the sound of that. It's anything to save me from making mash potato all the time really.

[dontlookdown]

What you have there is a perfect pie filling. Make some pastry, line a pie tin with it, put the casserole in , more pastry on top and voila!

Or you could just buy a sheet of ready made pastry and use it to top your casserole. Tasty and quick, but not really a proper pie, more a stew with a lid on;)

Edited by dontlookdown on Saturday 31st December 07:59

[blingybongy]

Simon Bags said:

I actually quite like the sound of that. It's anything to save me from making mash potato all the time really.

Frozen mashed potato is what you need.
Just bung it on frozen and put in the oven.
It's the greatest food Invention ever.
If you check the ingredients it is just potato, available at Iceland, Sainsbury's etc and cheap.

[21TonyK]

Paxo isn't going to work, it will create a thick gloopy crust underneath extracting the moisture from the top of the cassarole and then the rest will be a dry dust.

Just thinly slice a few potatos, roll around in some melted butter, any fresh herbs you have and layer on the top. Bake until golden.

[Simon Bags]

21TonyK said:

Paxo isn't going to work, it will create a thick gloopy crust underneath extracting the moisture from the top of the cassarole and then the rest will be a dry dust.

Just thinly slice a few potatos, roll around in some melted butter, any fresh herbs you have and layer on the top. Bake until golden.

Thought as much.

[Simon Bags]

Sainsburys do packets of Panko Breadcrumbs and their own branded Breadcumbs, think I might give them a try.

Thanks everyone.

Simon.

[boxst]

Why not do dumplings? That is a traditional topping for casseroles. You could also make the Mac potato into balls and put them at the top of the dish.

[vaud]

boxst said:

Why not do dumplings? That is a traditional topping for casseroles. You could also make the Mac potato into balls and put them at the top of the dish.

Herb dumplings. Wonderful things.

[Simon Bags]

boxst said:

Why not do dumplings? That is a traditional topping for casseroles. You could also make the Mac potato into balls and put them at the top of the dish.

Not sure there's enough moisture in the casserole as I use condensed soup for the sauce and I have a feeling dumplings need it wetter than that?

[21TonyK]

Simon Bags said:

Sainsburys do packets of Panko Breadcrumbs and their own branded Breadcumbs, think I might give them a try.

Any dried breadcrumb will absorb moisture and unless you add oil or some sort of fat will either just remain dry and loose or simply burn.

Better option is either, 1) fresh breadcrumbs with seasoning, butter and fresh herbs added for the last 15-20 minutes, or 2) dried breadcrumbs gently fried with oil or butter until golden, seasoned + herbs and sprinkled over the finished dish. Panko isn't great for this as its very textured and tends to be a bit like a layer of sharp sand, it stands out a bit and feeling a bit gritty when you eat it in a sauce based dish. Use very sparingly like a cassoulet it okay but not that great.

[vladcjelli]

Simon Bags said:

boxst said:

Why not do dumplings? That is a traditional topping for casseroles. You could also make the Mac potato into balls and put them at the top of the dish.

Not sure there's enough moisture in the casserole as I use condensed soup for the sauce and I have a feeling dumplings need it wetter than that?

Bake your dumplings on a baking sheet on the other shelf of the oven. Uncover casserole for last fifteen minutes and throw the dumplings on. They’ll be golden from the baking and won’t soak up too much juice as they’re already cooked.

[oddman]

Simon Bags said:

boxst said:

Why not do dumplings? That is a traditional topping for casseroles. You could also make the Mac potato into balls and put them at the top of the dish.

Not sure there's enough moisture in the casserole as I use condensed soup for the sauce and I have a feeling dumplings need it wetter than that?

If you are using a can of condensed soup add a can of water. If regular soup, half a can

Use a casserole so that the stew comes about half way up or at least has a couple of inches to spare for the dumplings.

Dumplings easy (ratio 2:1 flour to fat) 100g SR flour 50g suet. salt pepper and herbs make a dough with a little cold water. Chill for a while and form into balls. If you have no suet you can grate a cold block of lard or butter

When the stew is cooked add the dumplings (I like to roll them in the sauce) and replace the lid for about 15 min. Then lid off and let them crisp up. The dumplings do absorb a bit of moisture but the addition of extra water will compensate. I think the idea of dumplings was that they absorb some sauce and fool you into thinking you are getting extra meat.

[Mobile Chicane]

blingybongy said:

Frozen mashed potato is what you need.
Just bung it on frozen and put in the oven.
It's the greatest food Invention ever.
If you check the ingredients it is just potato, available at Iceland, Sainsbury's etc and cheap.

^^^ This. All day long.

[sean ie3]

Have to say, dumplings were my first thought sliced buttered potatoes 2nd, I'm not sure how I feel about frozen mash but I won't let it bother me.

[sherman]

Filo pastry buttered/oiled and each sheet cut into 1/4 and roughly scrunched up and reasonably tightly packed on top can make for a nice crunchy topping.

Got the idea from the Hairy bikers.
https://www.hairybikers.com/recipes/view/chicken-a...

[dudleybloke]

Cheese, loads of it!

[Pit Pony]

vaud said:

boxst said:

Why not do dumplings? That is a traditional topping for casseroles. You could also make the Mac potato into balls and put them at the top of the dish.

Herb dumplings. Wonderful things.

I have left over casserole, that we had last night with mash.
Tomorrow I shall serve it with dumplings. I'm sure I have a receipe if I don't have a packet.

[boxst]

Pit Pony said:

I have left over casserole, that we had last night with mash.
Tomorrow I shall serve it with dumplings. I'm sure I have a receipe if I don't have a packet.

I like BBC Good food: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/dumplings