I live in South Africa and in my country, a lot of people’s diets revolve around eat rice, meat and potatoes. And yes, the three are usually served together on the same plate, especially in my Afrikaner culture. In Afrikaans this is referred to as “rys, vleis en aartappels”, leaving no room for vegetables. Therefore, it is not surprising that we have quite a few variations on just plain potatoes in order to keep it interesting for those who follow this staple diet.
This recipe is one of my favourites and has been in my family for as long as I can remember. It was present in my grandparents’ home, was passed on to my parents and eventually found its way into my home and into my partner’s heart. The saying "the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach" is definitely true for most South Africans. I usually serve these potato boats when we have a braai (the South African version of barbeque).
Ingredients
- 6 medium potatoes
- 1 ounce cream cheese
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese (or alternative if desired)
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
Directions
- 1Firstly preheat oven to 376 °F on grill. Boil potatoes for roughly 20 minutes or until cooked.
- 2Slice potatoes vertically in half and scoop out the centre to make space for the mash. place potatoes on a baking tray.
- 3To prepare the mash, simply mash scooped out potato, cream cheese and softened butter and push through a sift or ricer in order to create a smooth texture.
- 4Fill hollowed out potatoes with the mash and sprinkle cheese on top before grilling in the oven for roughly 10 minutes until cheese has melted and obtained a golden brown colour.
- 5Serve warm as a side dish
