Easy Northumberland Pan Haggerty
Pan haggerty is also known as potato bake or casserole. It's a famous British dish from Northumberland, although it can be found across the whole of northeast Britain, and most of England, too.Most will know it as a potato gratin, but a dauphinoise it is not, because there is no cream in the recipe. This pan haggerty recipe uses just potatoes, onions, and cheese, but sometimes it also includes a little bit of cabbage, which is an excellent way to sneak in some vegetables without the kids realizing it. A filling dish, pan haggerty is delicious on its own, but it is also excellent with sausages or other meat.The root of 'Haggerty' is said to be the same as haggis: derived from the French 'hache', meaning chopped.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter divided
- 9 ounces onions peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 pound large potatoes (such as russet or Idaho), peeled and thinly sliced, divided
- 4 ounces grated aged cheddar cheese divided
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 375℉/190℃.
- Over medium heat, melt 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of the butter in a large frying pan and gently cook the sliced onions until soft but not browned. Set aside.
- In an ovenproof frying pan or stovetop casserole, melt 1½ ounces (3 tablespoons) of the butter.
- Remove the pan from the heat and then arrange a layer of potatoes in the pan.
- Add a layer of onions.
- Sprinkle on a layer of cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper and repeat the layers ending with potatoes on top.
- Place the pan over medium heat on the stovetop and cook for a few minutes, or until the bottom layer of potatoes is brown.
- Dot the surface of the potatoes with the remaining butter, then place in the heated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Raise the oven temperature to 425℉/220℃ and, when the oven has gotten up to temperature, return the pan to the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
- To serve, loosen the edges of the potato cake from the frying pan with a spatula.
- Flip the pan over quickly onto a plate or cutting board.
- Cut into generous wedges and enjoy.
Notes
Recipe Variations
You can vary a pan haggerty in much the same way as any potato gratin (bearing in mind this will no longer be the classic dish).
- Use slices of celeriac with the potatoes. Cut the celeriac to the same thickness as the potatoes.
- Add cubed or sliced carrots to the dish.
- Replace the potatoes with slices of celeriac and/or carrots.
- Change the onions to shallots for a softer taste.
Serving Tips
- Pan haggerty can be eaten cold or at room temperature. It’s delicious as a snack or part of a lunch (wrap in foil and pop into a lunchbox).
- If you’re a meat lover, pan haggerty is perfect with sausages, bacon, or cold cuts left from a Sunday lunch.
- For vegetarians, serve with a fried egg on top or perhaps a dollop of wilted spinach or kale.
