Remember those good old days when playing with your food was not only allowed but encouraged? Well, here’s a vintage recipe that embodies that playful spirit and will bring back nostalgic memories. Introducing the 1942 Joy of Cooking’s Potato Volcano- a dish that combines creamy mashed potatoes with a molten, buttery, and cheesy center. It’s easy to make, exciting to serve, and absolutely mouthwatering.

As a kid (and let’s be honest, even as adults), many of us enjoyed shaping our mashed potatoes into a mountain on our plates and letting the gravy flow down the sides like lava. This dish is a more refined version of that childhood delight, creating a formal mashed potato volcano.

So how do you go about making this delightful creation? It’s simple! Start by creating a mound of mashed potatoes and make a hollow in the top. Then, fill the hollow with a tantalizing mixture of eggs, butter, cheese, salt, and paprika. Seal the hollow by smoothing out the mashed potatoes and brush the entire mound with butter. Finally, bake until golden brown, and voila! You have your own Potato Volcano.

But wait, there’s more! This recipe doesn’t stop at creamy mashed potatoes and a gooey cheesy center. It also features a delightful crunchy topping of breadcrumbs, adding a contrasting texture and preventing the dish from becoming monotonous.

When it’s time to serve, scoop into the velvety mashed potatoes and enjoy the burst of flavors from the cheesy, buttery sauce that oozes out from the molten center. This recipe is perfect for using up leftover mashed potatoes, but it’s so delicious that you may find yourself making a fresh batch just to experience the joy of Potato Volcano. Forget about the need for gravy – the heavenly combination of the buttery lava center and the crispy breadcrumbs is all you need to make this dish shine.

So why not take a trip down memory lane and bring back a classic? Enjoy the 1942 Joy of Cooking’s Potato Volcano and indulge in a little food play. It’s a delightful experience that will transport you back to those carefree days of childhood.

1942 Joy of Cooking’s Potato Volcano

Serves 4 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups of creamy mashed potatoes
• 1/3 cup of melted butter
• 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon of paprika
• Fine breadcrumbs, as needed

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 380°F.
2. Shape the mashed potatoes into a mound on an oven-proof plate or pie dish, making a hollow in the mound as large as a teacup.
3. Set aside two tablespoons of melted butter.
4. In a bowl, mix the remaining melted butter, grated cheese, egg yolks, salt, and paprika. Beat the ingredients together and pour the mixture into the potato hollow.
5. Seal the hollow by spreading the mashed potatoes over the opening, and brush the entire mound with the reserved melted butter. Lightly cover the mound with breadcrumbs.
6. Bake the Potato Volcano until golden brown, about 12 minutes.
7. Get ready to indulge in a delicious blast from the past!

Recipe from Joy of Cooking.