The Hot Honey Potato Gratin with 500,000 Followers

Dan Roberts is the content creator behind some of Instagram’s most talked-about recipes, with almost half a million followers tuning in for his viral, easy-to-make dishes. His latest creation is the ultimate no-fuss potato bake, and it’s a good one.

He starts with a silky vodka sauce loaded with browned Italian sausage, then layers in Potato Utopia’s Mozzarella & Hot Honey Gratins for a hit of sweet heat. Everything is covered in foil and left to bubble away in the oven, then finished with a generous blanket of mozzarella and parmesan until golden and irresistible.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 shallots or 1 small brown onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
60ml vodka (optional)
700g passata
300ml thickened cream
2 basil sprigs
1 tsp chilli flakes
Salt to taste
3-4 Italian pork sausages
2 packets Mozzarella & Hot Honey Potato Utopia
250g mozzarella, torn or grated
Extra parmesan, finely grated
Extra basil leaves, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Remove the sausages from their casings and break into pieces.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the sausage until browned. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and cook the shallot or onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until deep red.
6. Pour in the vodka and simmer for 1 minute.
7. Add the passata, cream and basil sprigs. Season with salt and cracked black pepper and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
8. Return the sausages to the sauce and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes.
9. Spoon roughly one third of the sauce into the base of a baking dish.
10. Arrange the Mozzarella Hot Honey Potato Utopias over the sauce, then spoon over the remaining sauce.
11. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 200°C fan-forced for 20 minutes.
12. Remove the foil, top generously with the mozzarella, grated parmesan and return to the oven, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and is golden and bubbling.
13. Serve with fresh basil.