Mary Berry’s Posh Jacket Potatoes

• servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed clean

2 tbsp milk

a knob of butter

olive oil, for drizzling

salt and freshly ground black pepper

chopped parsley, to garnish

For the toppings:

Red Pepper and Goat’s Cheese:

2 large red peppers, halved and deseeded

olive oil, for drizzling

1 tbsp soft goat’s cheese

1 tbsp chopped basil leaves

Pesto:

3 tbsp basil pesto

75g (3oz) Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Spring onion and Soured Cream:

4 spring onions, chopped

dash of vegetable oil

4 heaped tbsp soured cream

paprika, for dusting

Bacon and Mushroom:

4 rashers of bacon

50g (2oz) button mushrooms, sliced

50g (2oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 7 and bake the potatoes for about an hour or until soft in the middle.

2. Slice each potato in half and scoop out the soft potato into a bowl. Add the milk and butter and mash with a fork. Stir in the topping of your choice (see below), season and mix to combine.

3. Spoon the mixture back into the skins and sit the potatoes, filled side up, in a roasting tin. Drizzle over a little olive oil and return to the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden and the skins are crisp. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Red Pepper and Goat’s Cheese

Place the pepper halves on a baking sheet, skin side up, and drizzle them with a little olive oil. Roast in a preheated oven, 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6, for about 15 minutes until blackened and soft, then peel off the skins and cut into thin strips. Alternatively, buy a jar of chargrilled peppers in a jar and slice 2 of them. Stir the pepper strips into the soft potato, season well and add the goat’s cheese and basil leaves.

Pesto

Simply add the filling ingredients to the soft potato, season and mix well.

Spring Onion and Soured Cream

Fry the spring onions in a little oil over a high heat until soft. Add them to the soft potato, season well, then stir in the soured cream. Dust the potatoes with a little paprika.

Bacon and Mushroom

Cut the bacon pieces into small pieces and fry until crisp, then add the mushrooms and fry over a high heat for a few minutes. Mix with the soft potato, season well and top with the grated cheese.

Prepare ahead: Can fill the potatoes ready for their second bake up to 4 hours ahead. To reheat, cook at the same temperature as above, but for 30 minutes. Cover with foil if the tops are getting too brown.