Sweetened Finnish Potato Casserole (Imelletty Perunalaatikko)
Sweetened Finnish Potato Casserole — Imelletty Perunalaatikko — is a classic Christmas dish where mashed potatoes are naturally sweetened with flour before baking into a soft, creamy, and lightly sweet casserole. It’s one of Finland’s traditional holiday vegetable bakes, typically served alongside Christmas ham, gravies, salads, and other casseroles. This comforting dish develops a rich, mellow flavor as it cooks and tastes even better when reheated the next day.
Ingredients
- 2.5 kg starchy potatoes (about 5.5 lbs)
- Water for boiling
- 100-150 g butter (7–10 tbsp)
- 3-5 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 6-8 dl milk (2.5–3.5 cups) adjust as needed for desired consistency
- 3 tsp salt
- 1 tsp nutmeg freshly grated or powdered
- 2-4 tbsp dark syrup optional
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and boil them with the skins on until fully cooked.
- Peel them while they are still very hot.
- Mash the potatoes immediately and mix in a few knobs of butter. Spread the mash into a large bowl and smooth the surface lightly.
- Sprinkle enough flour on top to lightly cover the surface. Let the mash sweeten at warm room temperature for about 2 hours.
- Stir the mash, smooth the top again, and sprinkle another thin layer of flour. Let it continue to sweeten for another 2 hours.
- Heat the milk until just boiling. Add the milk to the potato mixture gradually, stirring well. Add the milk gradually to reach a loose, porridge-like consistency.
- Mix in 2 tbsp butter, nutmeg, and salt. Taste, the mixture should be mildly sweet and rich. Add the syrup if using.
If preparing ahead
- At this stage, you can portion the mixture into freezer containers and freeze it for later use.
Bake the Casserole
- Thaw the mixture first if frozen. Transfer it into one large or two smaller baking dishes. (Use a large enough dish — this casserole bubbles in the oven.)
- Smooth the surface and create a pattern with a fork. Dot with a few small pieces of butter.
Baking times
- Bake at 125°C (257°F) for 1 hour, then reduce the temperature to 100°C (212°F) and bake for an additional 2 hours.
- The casserole will thicken and sweeten as it bakes.
Notes
This casserole bubbles in the oven, so choose a generously sized baking dish.
You can reheat it the next day — it firms up as it cools, but the flavor remains excellent.
The natural sweetness comes from the flour reacting with the warm mashed potatoes, so avoid letting the potatoes cool before adding the flour.