Editor's note: The recipe below originally appeared in One Potato, Two Potato by Roy Finamore with Molly Stevens. It was reprinted, along with the introductory text included here, in The 150 Best American Recipes by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens.
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Probably the most frustrating part of preparing Thanksgiving dinner is the last-minute potato mashing and gravy making. If you have this recipe in your arsenal, you can knock off the mashed potatoes 2 days ahead and have them sitting pretty in the refrigerator, ready for a last-minute heating. But that's not the only time you need these potatoes; they're also great for a buffet or for any crowd.
These luxurious mashed potatoes have a couple of other virtues, too. They're light and fluffy because they're whipped with an electric mixer, and they're incredibly luscious because they have sour cream and butter, plus cream cheese to give them a little edge.
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Recipe information
Yield
Makes 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover by at least 1 inch. Add a good pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover, and cook until the potatoes are very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan over medium heat. Cook, shaking the pan and stirring so the potatoes don't stick, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the potatoes are floury and have formed a film on the bottom of the pan.
Step 2
Remove from the heat and break up the potatoes with a handheld mixer on low speed. Gradually drop in 6 tablespoons of the butter and beat until it is absorbed. Refrigerate the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Gradually add the cream cheese and sour cream, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk a little at a time. You want the potatoes to be fluffy and light. If they seem to be getting too wet, don't add all the milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (If you don't have an electric mixer, use a hand masher to start and then use a wooden spoon to beat in the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and milk. Beat the milk into the potatoes one third at a time, beating vigorously after each addition.)
Step 3
Butter a 9-x-13-inch baking dish and spoon the potatoes into it. Smooth the top, then use a spatula or fork to swirl or score the surface to leave little peaks that will brown nicely during baking. Refrigerate, covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days before baking.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 5
Dust the top of the potatoes with paprika. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into small pieces and scatter them over the top. Bake until the potatoes are heated through and the top is lightly golden, about 1 hour. (Expect it to take only half the time if the potatoes haven't been refrigerated.) Serve hot.
