Mashed potatoes with cheese and garlic

Ingredients

• 600g floury potatoes
• 150ml double cream
• 50g butter
• 100g mozzarella
• 200g Holandes cheese (Dutch-type semi-hard cheese)
• 4 garlic cloves
• salt

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and garlic. Cut the potatoes into large chunks. Place in a pan of salted boiling water with the garlic and cook for 20–30 minutes, until tender.
2. In a separate pan, heat the cream and butter together until the butter has melted, but do not let it boil.
3. Grate both cheeses coarsely, or cut into small pieces.
4. Drain the potatoes and garlic (reserving a little of the cooking water) and mash with a potato masher or potato ricer. For an extra smooth texture, you can pass the potatoes through a sieve, but avoid using a blender.
5. Return the mash to the pan, place over the lowest heat, and stir in the warm cream and butter mixture.
6. Add half of each cheese and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk until melted. Then add the remaining cheese, continuing to stir and heat until the mash is elastic and can be lifted with a spoon in a stretchy ribbon. This usually takes 4–9 minutes. If the mash isn’t stretchy enough, add a little of the reserved cooking water.
7. Taste and season with salt if needed – remember the cheese is already salty, so adjust at the end.
8. Serve piping hot as a side to meat dishes or fried sausages.