Ingredients
For the vegetables:
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1 large head of broccoli (about 600 g)
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500 g potatoes, preferably medium-sized
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1 large red onion
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4 white mushrooms (or other white mushrooms)
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2 bay leaves
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1 tsp whole black peppercorns
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Salt for seasoning
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3 tbsp olive oil, divided
For the creamy cheese sauce:
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2 tbsp butter (30 g)
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2 tbsp wheat flour (30 g)
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500 ml whole milk (room temperature)
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150 g grated cheese (e.g., Gouda, Cheddar, or Gruyère)
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½ tsp ground nutmeg
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Salt and pepper to taste
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Cheese grater
For assembling:
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Some olive oil for greasing
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Some extra grated cheese for topping
Step-by-step instructions
Prepare the broccoli:
Wash the broccoli thoroughly under cold water. Cut into small, evenly sized florets. Don’t throw away the stalk — peel it and cut it into small pieces.
Fill a large pot with water, salt it, and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and stalk pieces, stir gently, and blanch for exactly 2 minutes. Then remove with a slotted spoon and place into a baking dish to cool and retain its nice green color.
Cook the potatoes:
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3–4 cm chunks. Don’t cut them too small to prevent them from falling apart.
Cook the potato pieces in the same water as before (add some more salt) together with the bay leaves and peppercorns. Boil for about 12–15 minutes until tender but still firm. Remove and set aside.
Prepare the mushroom-onion base:
Peel the red onion and slice into thin half rings. Clean mushrooms with a damp cloth and slice about 5 mm thick.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. First sauté the onions for 3–4 minutes until soft and translucent. Then add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5–7 minutes until golden brown and aromatic. Set aside.
Make the creamy cheese sauce:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
Gradually add the milk while stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken as it heats. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheese until melted. The sauce should be smooth and creamy.
Assemble the casserole:
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (top and bottom heat). Grease a large baking dish with olive oil.
Spread a thin layer of cheese sauce on the bottom. Then layer the potatoes, sprinkle some cheese on top, arrange the broccoli florets, and evenly distribute the onion-mushroom mixture over it.
Repeat layering with sauce, potatoes, cheese, and vegetables. Finally, pour the remaining cheese sauce and sprinkle extra grated cheese on top.
Bake:
Bake the casserole for about 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling around the edges.
Let rest for 5–10 minutes before serving to let the layers settle and avoid burns.
Enjoy your meal!
