Oven-Baked Potatoes with Cheese and Béchamel Sauce | Easy and Delicious Recipe!

Hello everyone, welcome to Chef Salim's recipe channel. In this video, I'll be making baked potatoes with cheese, a dish that's perfect for breakfast, dinner, or even lunch. Trust me, this is one recipe you'll want to keep in your back pocket for those times when you need something both comforting and delicious. First things first, let's give the potatoes a good wash. A clean potato is a happy potato. After that, we'll need a large pot to boil them. Tip of the day, if you want to speed up the boiling process, add hot water instead of cold. Once the washed potatoes are in the pot, you can add boiling water if you have it. Pop the pot on the stove, sprinkle some salt, and let them boil with the lid on for about 30 to 40 minutes. Now to check if the potatoes are ready, poke them with a thin knife. If the knife slides in easily, you're good to go. But remember, we don't want them too soft. Otherwise, you'll end up with mashed potatoes instead of diced ones. Now, drain the boiling water and spread the potatoes on a tray to cool. Fun fact, letting them cool down naturally not only makes them easier to handle, but also keeps their structure intact for easier peeling. As you can see, the weather was cool when I made this video. There's even snow on the mountain in the background. No, the snow didn't help cool the potatoes faster, but it did make for a nice view. After they've cooled slightly, I'm adding some boiling water again. This might seem odd, but it helps the skin peel off easily. Remember, the goal is to make your life in the kitchen easier, not harder. See how easily the skins come off now? It's like magic. Let's peel them all. A little trick, if you want to avoid getting potato skins under your nails, use a small knife to help. Now that our potatoes are peeled and ready, let's move on to the fun part, preparing the other ingredients. For this recipe, I'm using a block of white cheese, cow's cheese, and about 1 kilogram of kashar cheese. Cheese lovers, rejoice. We'll also need wheat flour to make the bechamel sauce, and around 1.5 to 2 liters of milk. Add a pinch of sugar and some salt to balance the flavors. And don't forget half a kilogram of margarine. I've put the potatoes in the fridge to cool completely, because slicing cold potatoes is so much easier. Here's a pro tip. If you use a very sharp knife, it won't stick to the potatoes, making the dicing process a breeze. I'm cutting the potatoes into small cubes, about the size of a sugar cube. Now into the large baking tray they go. Give them a little toss to make sure they're evenly spread. We're not just making food here. We're creating culinary art. Let's prepare the bechamel sauce. In a pan, I'm melting margarine and adding a bit of oil. The oil helps the margarine melt evenly and gives the sauce a nice silky texture. Once the butter melts, I add 1.5 cups of wheat flour. Keep stirring for about five minutes until the flour turns a lovely golden color. At this point, you can add salt and sugar to taste. Here's a little trick. Always add cold milk to the flour mixture. If you use hot milk, you might end up with lumps. And no one wants a lumpy sauce. Stir continuously as you pour in the milk. You'll see it thicken beautifully. If it gets too thick, don't panic. Just add a splash of water to get the right consistency. Once the sauce is smooth, I mix in the white cheese. This is where the bechamel becomes something extraordinary. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg if you like. It adds a sweet, nutty aroma that elevates the dish. Our bechamel sauce is ready. Smooth, creamy, and just thick enough to coat every bite of potato. I'm pouring the bechamel sauce over the potatoes in the tray, spreading it out evenly with a spatula. Don't be shy here. Every potato deserves to be covered. Now for the grand finale. The kashar cheese. This cheese is similar to mozzarella, so you know it's going to melt beautifully in the oven. Once the cheese is generously sprinkled on top, we're ready to bake. Pop the tray in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. When it's done, your kitchen will smell like pure cheesy heaven. But patience, my friends. It's super hot right out of the oven, so let it rest for about half an hour before slicing. Once it's cooled slightly, slice it into pieces. If you did it right, you should have 36 servings, enough to feed a small army, or maybe just your very hungry family. Feel free to sprinkle some red pepper flakes, mint, or black pepper on top for extra flavor. Whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this dish will hit the spot every time. Just make sure to let it cool enough so it holds its shape when you serve it. Thank you for watching. Don't forget to subscribe, like, and comment on my videos. Your support means the world to me, and it helps me keep sharing these delicious recipes with you all.