Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole

Without spare boxes of matzoh for making brei and granola, I had to come up with something else for breakfast.  I had more than one potato dish planned during Passover and bought the five-pound bag of russets.  That left more than enough for a potato casserole.

Because I keep kosher during Passover, I did not add sausage to this.  Really wanted to.  Really, really wanted to.  I'm sure I will any other week of the year I decide to make this again.

Because I wanted the potatoes a bit crispy, this does take over an hour and one more pan than I wanted to use.  Maybe it's better suited to brunch than starting at 5am.  You could also cook the veggies the evening before and bake it in the morning, adding the egg and cheese then.

My regrown green onions started producing scapes (bud stalks), so I chopped those up for my green onion.  I had one Roma tomato from an impulse buy that became color for the casserole.  A red pepper would serve the same purpose, and should also be pre-sautéed.  Like in a quiche, any added veggies other than leafy greens won't really cook.

*2 stalks green onion, finely chopped
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
*1 Roma tomato, diced
*2 medium Russet potatoes, cut in 1/2" cubes
3 eggs
*1/2 C milk or 1/4 C heavy cream
1 C shredded cheddar or other favorite cheese

1.  In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium.  Add green onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add potatoes, salt, pepper, and paprika.  Cook until the potatoes are browned and crispy, stirring often.  This is going to take at least 10 minutes.

2.  While the potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to 350º and grease an 8x8 casserole.  Beat eggs and milk in a small bowl and set aside.

3.  Add cooked potatoes and onions to the casserole, then add diced tomatoes to the same skillet.  Add a few more drops of oil if too dry.  Cook tomatoes until they start to break down, about 5 minutes, then add to the casserole.

4.  Pour egg mixture over vegetables, then sprinkle cheese on top.  Bake 45 minutes, until egg custard has set.  Allow to cool 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 4-6, depending on side dishes

Difficulty rating  :)