Last November, I watched my friend’s grandmother guard a steaming casserole dish like it held the secret to eternal happiness.
That pan contained Pennsylvania Dutch potato filling, a side dish I had never heard of until I moved closer to Lancaster County. Turns out, families across eastern Pennsylvania treat this humble blend of mashed potatoes, bread cubes, and sautéed vegetables like the actual star of Thanksgiving dinner.
Turkey gets the spotlight in magazine spreads, but ask anyone from Berks County what makes the holiday complete, and they will point straight to that golden-edged pan of filling sitting beside the gravy boat…