German Potato and Sausage Bake with Cheese Recipe
This bake is a classic one-dish meal that often appears in German homes on weeknights, when you need to feed hungry bellies after work and school. Potatoes, sausage and cheese make a hearty dish with a lightly crisp top. The flavour is a bit like Polish potato casserole, but with a more pronounced cheesy-sausage note.
To wariacja na temat niemieckiego kartoffelauflaufu, który często pojawia się w domach zamiast klasycznych klusek czy ziemniaków z wody. W wielu regionach robi się go z resztek kiełbasy i sera z całego tygodnia.
A simple, comforting German-style one-dish meal that combines everyday ingredients into a hearty, cheesy bake the whole family will enjoy.
Dlaczego ta wersja działa
- Cienko krojone ziemniaki pieką się równomiernie bez wcześniejszego gotowania.
- Musztarda, czosnek i tymianek budują głęboki smak bez długiej listy przypraw.
- Pieczenie najpierw pod folią, a potem bez niej daje miękki środek i chrupiący serowy wierzch.
Chef's tips
Slice the potatoes as evenly as possible so they cook at the same rate. If you’re using a very salty sausage or cheese, go easy on the added salt in the sauce.
How to serve
Serve in generous squares with a crisp green salad or sauerkraut on the side. It also pairs nicely with pickles or a simple cucumber salad.
Na co uważać
- Zbyt grube plastry ziemniaków mogą pozostać twarde, nawet gdy ser jest już mocno zrumieniony.
- Za mało sosu sprawi, że środkowe warstwy będą suche – płyn powinien prawie przykrywać ziemniaki.
- Nie kroj zapiekanki od razu po wyjęciu – gorący sos wypłynie i porcje się rozpadną.
Zamienniki
- Część kiełbasy możesz zastąpić boczkiem w kostce dla bardziej wędzonego aromatu.
- Ser żółty podmień na mieszankę goudy i ementalera, jeśli chcesz mocniejszy, orzechowy smak.
- Śmietankę możesz częściowo zastąpić mlekiem, licząc się z rzadszym, lżejszym sosem.
Ingredients
- potatoes - 800 g
- sausage - 300 g
- onion - 1 piece
- cheese - 150 g
- cream - 200 ml
- milk - 100 ml
- garlic - 2 piece
- oil - 1 tablespoon
- mustard - 1 teaspoon
- thyme - 0.5 teaspoon
- salt
- black pepper
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Grease a baking dish with oil.
- Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, about 3 mm thick, so they bake through properly.
- Slice the sausage into half-moons, cut the onion into thin slices, and finely chop the garlic.
- Lay the first layer of potato slices on the bottom of the dish, season lightly with salt and a pinch of pepper.
- Spread some of the onion and sausage over the potatoes and sprinkle with a little thyme. Repeat the layers, finishing with a layer of potatoes.
- In a bowl, mix the cream, milk, mustard, garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste it – the sauce should be slightly salty, as the potatoes will absorb some of the flavour.
- Pour the mixture over the layers of potatoes and sausage, gently shake the dish so the liquid seeps between the slices.
- Cover the dish with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the foil, sprinkle the top with grated cheese and bake for another 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and lightly browned and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
- After taking the bake out of the oven, leave it to rest for 5–10 minutes so it firms up slightly and is easier to slice.
Storage
Store the cooled bake covered in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave, adding a splash of milk or cream if needed to keep it moist.
This bake is perfect for busy evenings: you can assemble it in advance and just pop it in the oven when everyone gets home.
