Crispy Autumn Casserole
Dive into the flavors of fall with this mouthwatering Crispy Autumn Casserole! Featuring layers of roasted butternut squash, savory sage, and crunchy breadcrumbs, this dish brings the essence of the season right to your table. Perfect for cozy gatherings, it’s not just a meal—it's a celebration of autumn!
Prep
15
min
Cook
25
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 600 grams pre-cooked potato slices (21.2 oz)
- 250 milliliters tomato passata (8.45 fl oz)
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree (30 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 150 milliliters cooking cream (5.07 fl oz)
- 150 grams cream cheese (5.29 oz)
- egg yolk for brushing
- mozzarella cheese
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 1.5 teaspoons black pepper (7.5 ml)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder (5 ml)
- salt to taste
📦Other(4)
- chili flakes to tasteoptional
- 500 grams minced meat (1.1 lbs)
- puff pastry sheets
- sesame seeds for garnishoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- 2
Heat a frying pan with olive oil and add a sliced onion and diced red bell pepper. Sauté for a few minutes.
- 3
Add 500 grams of minced meat and brown it.
- 4
Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato puree, 1 teaspoon of paprika powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1.5 teaspoons of black pepper, and salt to taste. Cook for 1 minute.
- 5
Add 250 milliliters of tomato passata and mix. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- 6
After 3-4 minutes, add 150 milliliters of cooking cream and 150 grams of cream cheese. Stir for 1 minute. Add chili flakes if desired.
- 7
Turn off the heat. Grease a baking dish and layer with pre-cooked potato slices (about 600 grams).
- 8
Add a layer of the meat mixture, followed by another layer of potato slices, then another layer of sauce, and finally mozzarella cheese.
- 9
Cut puff pastry sheets into squares and place them on top. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle sesame seeds if desired.
- 10
Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, keeping an eye on it.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown the 500g of minced meat in batches over high heat rather than all at once, since overcrowding the pan drops the temperature below 150°C and causes the meat to steam instead of sear, preventing Maillard browning.technique150°C+ surface temp
- ✓Slice the pre-cooked potatoes to a uniform 4-5mm thickness so they heat through evenly in the oven and create consistent crispy edges without some pieces turning mushy while others stay underdone.ingredient4-5mm thickness
- ✓Add the cream cheese and cooking cream only after turning off residual simmering heat from step 5, since cream cheese's milk proteins can break and separate above 88°C, resulting in a grainy rather than silky sauce.techniquebelow 88°C
- ✓Bake the assembled casserole at 200°C for 25-30 minutes uncovered so the mozzarella top reaches 180-190°C surface temperature, triggering browning while the internal layers stay moist under the cheese's melted barrier.timing200°C for 25-30 minutes
- ✓Let the finished casserole rest for 10 minutes before cutting, allowing the cream cheese sauce (which thins significantly above 70°C) to cool and re-thicken so slices hold their shape instead of collapsing into liquid.timing10 minutes rest
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
25
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Crispy Autumn Casserole
Dive into the flavors of fall with this mouthwatering Crispy Autumn Casserole! Featuring layers of roasted butternut squash, savory sage, and crunchy breadcrumbs, this dish brings the essence of the season right to your table. Perfect for cozy gatherings, it’s not just a meal—it's a celebration of autumn!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 600 grams pre-cooked potato slices (21.2 oz)
- 250 milliliters tomato passata (8.45 fl oz)
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree (30 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 150 milliliters cooking cream (5.07 fl oz)
- 150 grams cream cheese (5.29 oz)
- egg yolk for brushing
- mozzarella cheese
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 1.5 teaspoons black pepper (7.5 ml)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder (5 ml)
- salt to taste
📦Other(4)
- chili flakes to tasteoptional
- 500 grams minced meat (1.1 lbs)
- puff pastry sheets
- sesame seeds for garnishoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- 2
Heat a frying pan with olive oil and add a sliced onion and diced red bell pepper. Sauté for a few minutes.
- 3
Add 500 grams of minced meat and brown it.
- 4
Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato puree, 1 teaspoon of paprika powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1.5 teaspoons of black pepper, and salt to taste. Cook for 1 minute.
- 5
Add 250 milliliters of tomato passata and mix. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- 6
After 3-4 minutes, add 150 milliliters of cooking cream and 150 grams of cream cheese. Stir for 1 minute. Add chili flakes if desired.
- 7
Turn off the heat. Grease a baking dish and layer with pre-cooked potato slices (about 600 grams).
- 8
Add a layer of the meat mixture, followed by another layer of potato slices, then another layer of sauce, and finally mozzarella cheese.
- 9
Cut puff pastry sheets into squares and place them on top. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle sesame seeds if desired.
- 10
Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, keeping an eye on it.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown the 500g of minced meat in batches over high heat rather than all at once, since overcrowding the pan drops the temperature below 150°C and causes the meat to steam instead of sear, preventing Maillard browning.technique150°C+ surface temp
- ✓Slice the pre-cooked potatoes to a uniform 4-5mm thickness so they heat through evenly in the oven and create consistent crispy edges without some pieces turning mushy while others stay underdone.ingredient4-5mm thickness
- ✓Add the cream cheese and cooking cream only after turning off residual simmering heat from step 5, since cream cheese's milk proteins can break and separate above 88°C, resulting in a grainy rather than silky sauce.techniquebelow 88°C
- ✓Bake the assembled casserole at 200°C for 25-30 minutes uncovered so the mozzarella top reaches 180-190°C surface temperature, triggering browning while the internal layers stay moist under the cheese's melted barrier.timing200°C for 25-30 minutes
- ✓Let the finished casserole rest for 10 minutes before cutting, allowing the cream cheese sauce (which thins significantly above 70°C) to cool and re-thicken so slices hold their shape instead of collapsing into liquid.timing10 minutes rest