Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs **

Carrie’s Recipe – Courtesy of: Everyday Italian

1 tablespoon butter
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup whole milk
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 ½ cups grated mozzarella
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter and set aside.
Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until they are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return the potatoes to the same pot and mash well. Mix in the milk and melted butter. Mix in the mozzarella and ¾ cup of the Parmesan and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking dish. Stir the bread crumbs and remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the mashed potatoes and bake, uncovered, until the topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes.