German Mashed Apples And Potatoes Recipe

This german recipe for mashed apples and potatoes, or himmel und erde, literally means "Heaven and earth"). The apples are the "Heaven" Part of the name because they come from the trees up in the sky, and the potatoes are the "Earth" Because they come from the ground. Himmel und erde is made by mixing mashed potatoes with homemade applesauce and smothering the whole with caramelized onions. There are so many variations of this, and so many german regions claim to have invented it, that any written recipe will be controversial. Germans like to make this popular winter dish as the main part of the meal, using boskops or elstar apples when available. It is usually eaten with sausage and most often with blutwurst (blood sausage) or bratwurst. Here is a simple version which can be dressed up or down and will go nicely as a side dish to pork chops or pork loin. This recipe can be doubled easily. Makes 2 servings as a main dish with sausage or 4 servings as a side dish for pork.