Christmas Jansson’s temptation

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160°C fan/gas 4. Peel the potatoes, cut into batons roughly the size of chips and put them in the ovenproof dish (don’t soak them in water as this will remove the starch, which helps to bind the dish together). Put the dish of raw potatoes in the oven for 15 minutes to pre-cook a little.
2. Meanwhile, melt 50g of the butter in a saucepan and add the sliced onions. Cook over a low-medium heat until very soft and translucent, but without colour (about 15 minutes).
3. Gently mix the onions into the par-cooked potatoes, trying not to break up any of the batons. Set aside half the veg mixture in a bowl, then scatter half the ansjovis into the ovenproof dish. Add a good splash of the pickle juice from the tin, too. Mix the milk and cream, then pour half of it into the dish. Season well with salt and pepper.
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4. Repeat the layers with the remaining potatoes/onions and ansjovis, then pour over enough of the cream mixture to just cover the potato mixture (reserve any leftover cream). Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, then dot the remaining butter over the top. Season again with salt and pepper.
5. Put the dish in the oven, reduce the heat to 140°C fan/ gas 3, then bake for 30 40 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Depending on the type of potatoes you use, you may want to pour in any remaining cream halfway through cooking; the end result should be super creamy, so you’re not aiming for something dry. You can also give it a final blast under the grill to brown the top if needed.