Creamy, fluffy mash is the aim when making mashed potatoes. While many chefs say milk and butter can achieve this, there’s a better way. Nigella Lawson says mash doesn’t need any added flavour, but she has shared a simple recipe as a “worthy exception” to the rule.
The recipe appears in Nigella: At My Table and includes some sound advice from the British cooking icon on how she avoids “gluey” mashed potato. Nigella’s recipe uses garlic and parmesan in addition to butter to make a deliciously creamy product. But there’s another important liquid that’s added to finish it off: starchy water.
How to make tastier mashed potatoes
Nigella’s first rule for perfect mash is to enlist an electric whisk to make the potatoes “light and airy”.
She says to cook them until very tender first, along with the peeled, whole garlic cloves.
An important step to achieve perfect mash includes saving the starchy potato water that the spuds are cooked in – it is “precious”, according to Nigella. To do this, simply empty the pan of cooked potatoes into a colander set over a bowl or another pan to collect the water.
When blitzing the potatoes, include the garlic and butter in the mixture. Nigella suggests adding the butter to the hot, emptied-out potato pan to let it melt a little.
Return the cooked spuds to the buttery pan, then measure out some of the starchy potato water in a cup to add to the potatoes. Nigella suggests at least 125ml, but notes that she “never adds less than 250ml” to ensure the mash is “as smooth and creamy as possible”.
Those who are fans of cheesy mash with Parmesan should know that adding the cheese right after the mashing and whisking is over is the best way to ensure the mash stays light and creamy.
Nigella’s recipe suggests stirring the Parmesan in by hand at the very end, along with the sea salt flakes. Check for seasoning one last time before serving the deliciously creamy mash.
Nigella’s garlic parmesan mash recipe
Ingredients
- 2kg/4lb 8oz potatoes, such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into large, equal-sized chunks
- Eight fat garlic cloves, bruised and slightly splintered with the flat side of a wide-bladed knife, then slipped out of their skins
- Two teaspoons of sea salt flakes, plus extra to taste
- 75g/2½oz unsalted butter, softened
- 50g/1¾oz Parmesan, finely grated
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