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