Cacio e Pepe Duchess Potatoes

Duchess potatoes, the elegant mashed potato, egg yolk, and butter mixture, gets a cheesy, spiced boost with the addition of pecorino and fresh black pepper in this upscale take. Using a piping bag with a star tip gives these potatoes their signature flowery look. If you don’t have a piping bag or star tip, don’t let that stop you from making these potatoes. Simply spoon the potato mixture into a ziplock bag and snip off the corner to create a piping bag. The cheese and pepper flavor along with a beautifully browned base will retain their appeal. Serve these duchess potatoes alongside roasted duck or chicken, turkey meatloaf, Thanksgiving turkey, or a pork tenderloin. Or use them as a topping for your next shepherd’s pie. 

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Make sure to mash the potatoes completely but don’t overwork them, as you’ll end up with gluey potatoes. The test kitchen suggests using a potato ricer or a food meal, as they aerate while also making the potatoes smooth.

When brushing the tops with butter, be gentle so as not to deflate the peaks and valleys.

Make ahead

You can pipe the potato swirls (rosettes) up to two hours before baking. Or you can freeze the piped potato swirls until solid and transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container. Frozen potato swirls will keep for up to three months. When baking them from frozen, simply add an additional five minutes to the baking time.