Potato casserole with bacon and pickled cucumber Recipe
A hearty, very Polish potato casserole with bacon and pickled cucumbers that tastes like a mix of grandma’s Sunday dinner and a cucumber sandwich from a Sunday supper. A creamy sour-cream-and-egg sauce coats the potatoes, while the sour cucumber pleasantly cuts through the richness of the bacon. It’s a great way to use up boiled potatoes from the previous day and a jar of pickles from the cellar.
This casserole tastes like a solid Polish dinner packed into a single dish – there are potatoes, bacon, cream and pickled cucumber, a set well known from home cooking. The creamy sour-cream-and-egg sauce coats the potatoes, while the sour pickles pleasantly “bite back” against the fattiness of the bacon, making the dish filling but not cloying. It’s the perfect way to give a second life to yesterday’s potatoes and an open jar of pickles from the fridge.
Chef's tips
If you’re using boiled potatoes from the previous day, cut them into slightly thicker slices – they hold their shape better after baking. Fry the bacon patiently over medium heat until it’s really browned and the fat has rendered; this gives the casserole a deep, smoky flavour rather than just pieces of soft bacon. Don’t pile too many cucumbers in one spot, as excess juice can thin the sauce – try to spread them in an even layer.
How to serve
Serve this casserole hot with a simple white cabbage slaw or a mixed salad to add some freshness to the plate. It’s perfect as a Saturday lunch after a long walk or as dinner after returning from a winter trip when everyone is craving something really hearty. To drink, kefir, buttermilk or a glass of well-chilled water with pickled cucumber (yes, the brine from the jar has its fans too) all work well.
Ingredients
- potatoes peeled - 800 g
- bacon smoked, in thin slices or cubes - 150 g
- pickled cucumber medium pieces - 3 pieces
- onion medium - 1 pieces
- cream 18% or 30% - 200 ml
- egg - 2 pieces
- yellow cheese grated, e.g. gouda - 120 g
- garlic pressed or finely chopped - 2 cloves
- oil for frying - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste, go easy because of the bacon
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- marjoram dried herb - 1 teaspoon
Preparation
- Cut the potatoes into thin slices (about 3 mm). If they are raw, put them into a pot with salted water, bring to the boil and cook for 8–10 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Peel the onion and cut into small dice. Cut the bacon into strips or cubes. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the bacon and fry for 4–5 minutes over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is lightly browned.
- Add the onion to the bacon and fry together for 3–4 minutes until the onion softens and turns lightly golden. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Cut the pickled cucumbers into thin slices or small cubes. Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat).
- In a bowl, mix the cream, eggs, garlic, marjoram, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Lightly grease a baking dish with oil or fat. Arrange half of the potato slices on the bottom and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Spread half of the bacon-and-onion mixture and half of the pickled cucumbers over the potatoes. Cover with the remaining potatoes and season lightly again.
- Spread the remaining bacon with onion and cucumbers on top. Pour the cream-and-egg mixture over everything, trying to distribute the liquid evenly.
- Sprinkle the top with grated yellow cheese. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and the edges of the casserole are gently bubbling.
- After removing from the oven, let the casserole rest for 10 minutes so it can firm up slightly and be easier to slice. Serve hot.
Storage
Store cooled leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot throughout; the flavours often deepen by the next day.
