Baked Breaded Bacon with Apple and Potato Mash....Inspired by "Hete Bliksem"

"Hete Bliksem" literally Dutch hot lightning. It is a stew consisting of 2 parts potato and 1 part sour apples or pears instead of apples. Stewed or fried bacon as meat and some meat sauce for mashing.

Last night I checked my dutch cookbook and found this Hete Bliksem recipe. I remember we still have few potatoes left and 1 apple in the fridge. I asked Pieter "what if I cook this for my lunch?" He replied "sure you still have your pork in the fridge" Since it's only me for lunch I adjusted the recipe for 1 person (although the apple and potato mash was still too much for me).

The bacon is supposed to be mix together with the potato and apple but I've decided to cook it separately. Actually our kitchen vent isn't working properly and I don't want the smoke all over the kitchen (and me) so I baked it with some breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley. (Pieter, come on! call someone to fix it pls!) Viola! after 30 minutes It turned out really yummy! I had a great and satisfying lunch.

baked breaded bacon with apple and potato mash
250 g potato
100 g apple
200 g bacon (thick slice of bacon)
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated cheese
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1/8 cup milk
1 tbsp butter
pinch of cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 200 C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Dip in the bacon and gently press the crumbs all over bacon. I didn't use egg here as the fat from the bacon helps enough to stick the crumbs.
• Transfer the bacon to the baking tray and bake for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile peel, core and slice the apple, Put the potato in a pan and cover with water. Add the chopped apple and cook until tender.
• Drain the potato and apple. Heat the milk and add cinnamon.
• Mash the potato and apple to a puree. Add the butter, salt and pepper to taste and just enough spiced milk to make a creamy mash.
• Serve warm with baked bacon.