Potato bake

Ingredients:

8 large potatoes, peeled (or 12 baby potatoes)
45ml olive or cooking oil
125g rindless streaky bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
125g button mushrooms, sliced
60g butter or margarine
80ml (45g) flour
625ml locally produced milk
10ml chopped fresh origanum (or 3ml dried)
200ml (80g) grated cheddar cheese (make it an SA brand!)
1ml salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water in a large, heavy-based saucepan until soft. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a medium, heavy-based frying pan and lightly fry the bacon. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until soft. Add mushrooms and fry for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
3. Melt the butter in a medium, heavy-based saucepan. Add flour and stir over low heat for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly, and cook over medium heat until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and add origanum and seasoning. Cool slightly.
4. Cut the potatoes into 1 cm thick slices. Layer half of the potatoes in a greased large ovenproof dish. Cover with half the bacon mixture and sprinkle with half the cheese. Pour over half the sauce. Repeat layers, ending with sauce and sprinkling the remaining cheese on top.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown on top.