Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Filling is strange to most outsiders. It's basically like mixing stuffing and mashed potatoes together. The aroma of it while it's prepared always makes my stomach growl. It also brings back treasured memories of Thanksgivings past. This is certainly a dish that your family will be asking for again. I recommend serving it with turkey gravy, although it is good by itself.
The Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch) are a cultural group formed by early German-speaking immigrants to Pennsylvania and their descendants. This early wave of settlers, which would eventually coalesce to form the Pennsylvania Dutch, began in the late 17th century and concluded in the late 18th century. - via Wikipedia
1 5lb bag of potatoes (peeled and quartered)
1 onion (diced- about 1/3-1/2 cup depending on your taste)
Celery (diced- about 1/3-1/2 cup depending on your taste)
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 c milk
1 cup bread cubes (you can take 3 or 4 slices of bread, cube them and let them sort of exposed to dry out a bit, or buy them already packaged--- just dont use anything with lots of extra spices unless you want that added taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter
Cut and cook potatoes until they are soft- fall apart when you stick a fork in them etc. While potatoes are cooking, saute the onions and celery in some butter until they are translucent.
Once the potatoes are done, take them off the stove, and drain, and put in bowl. Hand mix them into mashed potatoes, adding room temperature milk and butter until desired consistency for mashed potatoes. Next add the cup of bread cubes, mix. Add the celery/onions and the beaten egg, mixing all ingredients together. Put this mixture into a caserole dish bake in an oven at 325-350 degrees for about 30 minutes until top is golden brown. You can add dots of butter to the top of the filling before you put it in the oven to bake.