Rosemary's Easter Bonnet

Honorable Mention Winner in Miracle Whip's Easter Recipes Contest, 2012

This recipe is an adaptation of a Potatoes Anna gratin that my Nonna used to make for the holidays. It has become a family favorite that all my siblings now make, in which each of us puts our own individual, personal signature.  This free-form gratin is so easy to assemble and I love the way the edges crisp and caramelize, while the interior, imbedded with onions and cheese, stays luscious and creamy. The mayonnaise, sour cream, or Miracle Whip mixture is zesty and sublime, giving the potatoes an incredible richness. This dish relies only on a few ingredients, but it's the horseradish-spiked Miracle Whip sauce, perfumed with rosemary, that really elevates this dish to something complex and elegant. The festive, Easter bonnet shape of this gratin is a cinch to assemble, and has a really WOW factor. This is, definitely, a side dish worthy of the Easter table centerpiece! Buon Appetito!


INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large, Russett potatoes (peeled and sliced very thinly with a mandoline slicer, or sharp knife)
• 1 medium-sized onion (minced)
• 1 cup of Kraft Miracle Whip Dressing, mayo, or sour cream
• 1/2 cup of grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
• 1 cup of shredded Italian three cheese blend
• 2 tablespoons of creamy horseradish sauce
• 1/4 cup of whole milk (as needed)
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of rosemary (minced finely)
•  Parsley sprigs for garnish

PREPARATION:
 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the Miracle Whip, creamy horseradish sauce, garlic, and rosemary. Set aside. Peel and slice the Russett potatoes. Set aside. Mince the medium onion. Set aside. Add a little bit of milk to the Miracle Whip mixture so that it is thin enough to fall off the spoon in a thick drizzle (not runny). Arrange one layer of potatoes, in a circular pattern, on a round bakjng sheet, slightly overlapping the edges of the potatoes. Drizzle a couple tablespoons of the Miracle Whip mixture over the first layer of potatoes. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of minced onion, then a couple tablespoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and finally, scatter a couple tablespoons of the shredded Three Cheese Blend. Repeat this first layer, in the same fashion, two more times, until you have three layers (the brim of the Easter bonnet). To make the crown of the hat, simply build up a few potato/Miracle mixture/cheese layers in the center of the hat, measuring about a 5-inch diameter. Bake at 375 degrees for the first 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rotate, and turn the oven up to 400 degrees. Bake another 30 minutes, and until golden brown, and the circumference has started to get very crispy. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve.