Bangers & Mash Pie - GreenVale Farm Fresh Potatoes Review

Bangers and Mash Pie

Like most families we get through a lot of potatoes at JibberJabber Towers. Boil, mash, sauté, roast they all get a showing at the dinner table but let's face it – they're not something you can usually get over excited about. However, I was willing to give a bag of GreenVale Farm Fresh Potatoes a go and see if spud is just a spud.

When they arrived I did immediately get a bit giddy about the fact they came from 'Ness Farm', although I can't guarantee you will be able to buy a personalised bag!

It probably doesn't surprise you to find out that I'm usually a 'Basics' shopper when it comes to potato purchases. Although these potatoes are good, cheap and are suited to all my cooking needs I am always bothered by the plastic packaging. In the supermarket they sit there sweating away waiting for me to release them into my light-proof cotton bag. My council doesn't take away plastic wrappers and I have no space to store them so they get thrown in the bin. Not good all round for all-rounder potatoes. The Greenvale Farm Fresh Potatoes come in a thick paper with mesh air holes so the potatoes straight away will benefit from the lack of vegetable sweats. Also, my council provide us with a large paper and cardboard bin so the packaging will be recycled rather than going straight to landfill. Hurrah!

All good so far but do they stand up to the cooking and taste test? I have to admit that even when I was peeling them for the first time they seemed much better quality and a lot firmer than my usual potatoes. We first had them as the mash topping in the recipe below with a bit of milk and cheese on top. Yes, they did taste different and actually nicer. Next on the list was some jacket potatoes. When I opened the pack I was pleased to find a good variety of sizes and noted that the four large ones would be good for baking.

It can be tricky to get the right blend of crispy skin and fluffy inside when baking potatoes but I went with my method of washing and drying them, picking them all over and cutting round the edge. Then place on the baking tray with a brush of sunflower oil all over and then baked at 200°C for 50 minutes. I served them as a tuna mayo melt and my Daughter declared them better than the ones they serve at school (and much bigger too!)

Onto the price...My delivery from Tesco was priced at £2.50. Usually the bag weight is 2kg but I got lucky and had 25% extra in mine bringing it up to 2.5kg. They are more expensive than what I usually pay but if I really wanted some nice potatoes I would go for these. They are currently available in Tesco and Booth's. There isn't a Booth's store near me and Tesco is a bit of a drive away so in all honesty they can't become part of my regular shop so at least the temptation is taken away from me!

We had the first batch as the mash topping in this Bangers & Mash Pie. Don't be put off by the yeast extract in it (my jar does indeed just have 'yeast extract' on it). My Husband is a hater of it but admits it gives a lovely richness to the sauce.

Serves 4

Eqipment: Oven proof baking dish, masher

Ingredients

8 Sausages

1 Onion, sliced

¾ pint (425ml) Beef stock

2tsp (10ml) Yeast extract

1½ tbsp (22.5ml) Cornflour blended with 2tbsp (30ml) cold water

1lb 11oz (775g) Potatoes, peeled and diced

Milk to mix into mash

3oz (85g) Cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1.Start cooking the potatoes in boiling water. Cook until they are easily sliced with knife and ready to mash.

2. Meanwhile heat a frying pan and start to brown the sausages. If necessary add some oil if not much fat comes out of the sausages.

3. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/Gas mark 6.

4. When the sausages have browned add the sliced onions, beef stock, yeast extract and cornflour water.

5. Bring the mixture to the boil and stir until it starts to thicken slightly

6. Put the mixture into the ovenproof dish.

7. Drain the potatoes and then mash with a little bit of milk.

8. Arrange the mash on top of the sausage mixture and then scatter the cheese over it.

9. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and browned slightly.

Serve with the vegetables of your choice.

I was sent the GreenVale Farm Fresh Potatoes for free. No payment was made for this post. The opinions, photographs and words are my own.