Make Potatoes au Gritty and bring chaos to your Thanksgiving table
Chaos (and cheese) reign in this food interpretation of the Flyers' mascot.
These cheesy potatoes are a tribute to Philly’s most unhinged and beloved mascot, the Philadelphia Flyers’ orange monster, Gritty. Kiki Aranita, chef and proprietor of Poi Dog sauces, uses her Chili Peppah Water to give spice, flavor, and acid to the rich potatoes. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of a gratin, you can also make mashed potatoes (and yeah, the Chili Peppah Water is just as good in those) as the base of your table mascot. Gritty’s luxurious orange fur is made of shredded cheddar, and his eyes are made of cheese and olives. For the whites of his eyes, mozzarella or queso fresco work great, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can sub in two thin slices of potato. The cheese can be left uncooked for a more defined furry look, or melted for a more muppet-in-the-microwave vibe (and either one tastes really good.) Be as deranged as possible while styling and serving this — as Gritty might tell you, embrace chaos.
You can download the recipe here or scroll down.
Ingredients
5 fist-sized Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1000 grams)
¾ stick (85g) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cup full heavy cream
5 oz shredded Gruyère
5 oz shredded cheddar
2 oz shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 to 6 tbsp Poi Dog Chili Peppah Water
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp za’atar (I like the Burlap & Barrel stuff.)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt (or to taste)
Gritty’s face
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese, the oranger the better
1 slice American cheese or cheddar cheese — the more alarmingly orange the better
2 round slices of mozzarella or similar white cheese
4 black, pitted olives
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Combine butter, heavy cream, Chili Peppah Water, nutritional yeast, and minced garlic, ideally in a cup with a spout (like a Pyrex measuring cup), mixing well (with a fork is fine).
Combine shredded cheeses (Gruyere, cheddar, parm – not what is reserved for Gritty’s face).
Layer sliced potatoes, then cream mixture, sprinkle with a pinch of za’atar and a sprinkle of cheese mixture.
Repeat layers 9 times (or until you’re out of ingredients). But the final layer should be naked potato.
Cover pan with foil and bake at 350ºF for 1 hour.
Uncover and continue baking for another hour on the middle rack, checking every 20 minutes to see potato edges curl and brown slightly.
Let cool 10 minutes.
Decorate with shredded cheddar to resemble Gritty’s hair and beard. Using a 2-inch diameter cookie cutter, cut mozzarella or white cheese into 2 rounds. Using a 1.25-inch diameter cookie cutter, cut American cheese or cheddar slice into 2 rounds.
Slice the ends of 2 black olives to create maniacal eyeballs. Sliver 2 black olives lengthwise to create thin strips for eyelids.
Assemble Gritty’s eyes and place over the mound of cheddar cheese hair. Serve, while cackling.
— Recipe by Kiki Aranita, James Beard award-nominated food writer and proprietor of Poi Dog Sauces
