The vibrant town of Robertson, known as potato growing country, is all set to paint the town red, or should we say, brown, with the much-anticipated 2024 Robertson Potato Festival. This year, the festival has renamed the town to “Robspudson” in celebration of its rich potato heritage and the festival. The event promises a weekend of fun, food and festivities, that will have spud enthusiasts from far and wide ‘digging in’ for an unforgettable experience.
For all food aficionados, the “Master Spud” cooking stage is a must-visit. This year, it will feature none other than Julie Goodwin, the inaugural MasterChef series winner. She will showcase her culinary expertise over both days of the festival, offering a treat for the tastebuds that you won’t want to miss.
For a little taste of Julie’s fabulous cooking, enjoy her classic Potato Bake recipe below. Enjoy!
POTATO BAKE
I think many home cooks of my generation have a go-to potato bake recipe. Mine is straightforward, but I have friends who add all sorts of things to theirs – onion, cheese, bacon and more. Start simple, and go on to create your own signature spud bake.
SERVES 8–10 as an accompaniment
PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes
COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 kg washed desiree or pontiac potatoes, unpeeled
- 600 ml thickened cream
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt
- Ground white pepper
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Slice the potatoes very thinly, using a sharp knife or a mandolin.
2. Combine the cream, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss the potatoes through until they are well coated.
3. Layer the potato in a large baking dish (it doesn’t matter what shape the dish is, but it should be around 6 cm deep and have a capacity of about 2.5 litres.) Arrange the top layer neatly, then press down on it firmly.
Cover the dish with good-quality aluminium foil and press down again, so that the foil is touching the top layer of the potato.
Seal tightly on all sides, then bake for 1 hour
Remove the foil and cook for a further 30
Extracted from Classic by Julie Goodwin (RRP $39.99). Available now from bookstores and online retailers.