We don’t know who Jansson was but there’s no need to resist this Swedish winter staple – a potato dish proven to warm body and heart.
Serves 4-6
30g butter, plus extra for greasing
2 white onions, finely sliced
1kg maris piper potatoes, cut into batons
100g jar of anchovy fillets (or 2 tins pickled sprats – anchovies are an alternative option for those of us outside of Sweden)
500ml double cream
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 Melt the butter in a large pan and add the onions plus a generous pinch of salt. Cook gently for about 15 mins, or until they’re soft and golden, taking care to stir often to avoid them catching.
2 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6 and grease an ovenproof dish with a little butter.
3 Season the potatoes and then split them into three equal piles. Layer the first pile at the bottom of the dish, next add half of the cooked onions, followed by half of the anchovies or sprats. Add a second layer of potatoes, the remainder of the onions and the remainder of the anchovies or sprats. Finally, top with the last third of the potatoes.
4 Pour over the cream and push down any uncovered potatoes. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and cook for 60 mins. You want the top to be golden and the potatoes underneath to be soft. If the top is cooking too fast, cover it with foil and increase the cooking time until all layers of the potatoes are cooked. Let the dish rest for about 10-15 mins before serving.
This recipe is taken from our January issue’s ‘Gathering’ feature, a hygge Swedish feast for friends, which we have called ‘Comfort and Cheer’. It also includes recipes for Herring & Beetroot Salad, Swedish Glogg, Cucumber Pickles, Danish-Style Salad and Boozy Rice Pudding. The recipes are by Catherine Frawley and the photography is by Kay Prestney.
