Easy Northumberland Pan Haggerty Potato Recipe

Written by
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Elaine Lemm
Updated 03/27/20
Pan Haggerty
Northumberland pan haggerty.

The Spruce
  • Total: 55 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 45 mins
  • Yield: 6 portions (6 servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
286 Calories
22g Fat
17g Carbs
6g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 portions (6 servings)
Amount per serving
Calories 286
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 59mg 20%
Sodium 184mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 6g
Calcium 157mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Pan haggerty, by any other name, is known as potato bake or casserole. The dish is a famous British food from Northumberland, although it can be found across the whole of northeast Britain, and most of England, too.

A filling dish, pan haggerty is excellent with sausages or any meat and even delicious on its own. Most will know it as a potato gratin, but a dauphinoise it is not, because there is no cream in the recipe.

This pan haggerty recipe uses just potatoes, onions, and cheese but sometimes it also is made with a little bit of cabbage as well. This is an excellent way to get kids to eat vegetables without them realizing.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces butter (divided)
  • 9 ounces onions (peeled and thinly sliced)
  • 1 pound large potatoes (bakers like Russet or Idaho, peeled and thinly sliced)
  • 4 ounces cheddar cheese (aged, grated)
  • Sea salt (to taste) 
  • Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Pan Haggerty
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  2. Heat the oven to 375 F/190 C.

  3. Over medium heat, melt 1 ounce of the butter in a large frying pan and gently cook the sliced onions until soft, but not browned.

    Onions in pan
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  4. In an ovenproof frying pan or stovetop casserole, melt half the remaining butter.

    Butter melting
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  5. Remove the pan from the heat and then arrange a layer of potatoes in the pan.

    Arrange a layer of potatoes in the pan
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  6. Add a layer of onions.

    Adding a layer of onions
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  7. Sprinkle on a layer of cheese.

    Layer of cheese
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  8. Season with salt and pepper and repeat the layers ending with potatoes on top.

    Putting another layer of potatoes on
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  9. Place the pan over medium heat on the stovetop and cook for a few minutes, or until the bottom layer of potatoes are brown.

    Place pan on medium heat
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  10. Dot the surface of the potatoes with the remaining butter, then place in the heated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.

    Dotting potatoes with butter
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  11. Raise the oven temperature to 425 F and, when the oven has gotten up to temperature, return the pan to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes.

    Crispy Pan Haggerty
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  12. To serve, loosen the edges of the potato cake from the frying pan with a spatula.

    Loosening potatoes with a spatula
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  13. Flip the pan over quickly onto a plate or a breadboard.

    Flipped onto a plate
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  14. Cut into generous wedges and enjoy!

Tips

  • For vegetarians, serve with a fried egg on top or perhaps a dollop of wilted spinach or kale. 
  • If you're a meat lover, pan haggerty is perfect with sausages, bacon, or cold cuts left from a Sunday lunch.
  • Enjoy pan haggerty cold or at room temperature. It's delicious as a snack or a meal when wrapped in foil and popped into a lunch box. 

Recipe Variations

  • You can vary a pan haggerty in much the same way as any potato gratin (bearing in mind this will no longer be the classic dish). Slice the celeriac and/or carrots the same thickness as the potatoes. 
  • Use slices of celeriac with the potatoes.
  • Add cubed or sliced carrots. 
  • Change the onions to shallots for a softer taste.

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs poses a risk of food-borne illness.

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