Dutch Endive Casserole (Andijvie ovenschotel) with Cheese

About This Recipe

Andijvie ovenschotel — a baked casserole built on stamppot-style mashed potato folded with braised curly endive — is real Dutch comfort food, usually finished under a blanket of melted cheese and served straight from the baking dish. Endive's natural bitterness is the whole point of the dish: cooked briefly, it mellows without disappearing, and that contrast against creamy potato and sharp cheese is what makes the casserole work. This version adds garlic and a touch of lemon zest to the potato, which isn't classic but sharpens the dish nicely against the richness of the cheese, while keeping every other element traditional: potatoes boiled and mashed with butter and milk, endive blanched briefly then squeezed dry and folded through, and a generous layer of Gouda or Edam melted over the top until it turns deeply golden and slightly crisp at the edges under the broiler.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgstarchy potatoes(peeled and cubed)
• 500 gcurly endive(washed and roughly chopped)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1lemon(zested)
• 0.5 cupwhole milk(warmed)
• 4 tbspbutter(divided)
• 200 gaged Gouda(grated)
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.25 tspground nutmeg

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil the potatoes

   Boil the cubed potatoes in salted water 15-18 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well.

2. 2

   Blanch and wilt the endive

   Blanch endive in boiling water 1 minute, drain, and squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands.

3. 3

   Sauté the garlic

   Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan over medium heat, add garlic, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

4. 4

   Mash the potatoes

   Mash the potatoes with remaining butter, warmed milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg until smooth. Fold in the garlic and lemon zest.

5. 5

   Fold in the endive

   Fold the squeezed endive through the mashed potato until evenly distributed, keeping some texture rather than mashing it in completely.

6. 6

   Top and bake

   Spread the mixture into a buttered baking dish, top evenly with grated Gouda, and bake at 200C for 20-25 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.

7. 7

   Broil to finish

   If needed, broil for the last 2-3 minutes to deepen the color on top before serving hot.

Variations

• •

  Bacon version: fold in crisped bacon lardons with the endive for a smoky, more traditional stamppot-style add-in.

• •

  Sausage on the side: serve slices of grilled rookworst alongside, exactly as andijvie stamppot is traditionally plated.

• •

  Sharper cheese: use aged Old Amsterdam cheese in place of Gouda for a stronger, more pungent finish.

Storage

Refrigerate covered up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180C oven for 15-20 minutes until warmed through and the top re-crisps; microwaving works but the top won't stay crisp.

Frequently Asked Questions