Potato and broccoli casserole in a skillet with ham and mozzarella, a tasty, budget-saving and fridge-clearing recipe, halfway between Potato and Broccoli Cakes and the Potato Skillet Pie with Spinach and Mozzarella. Simple and tasty like all potato recipes or broccoli recipes, the broccoli and potato casserole is perfect for an inexpensive, quick dinner and can be cooked in a skillet as I did or baked in the oven.
It can be served as a one-dish meal, but also as a tasty main course, made of a creamy broccoli-and-potato base and a soft, melty filling of ham and mozzarella, a triumph of flavors also perfect for kids who don’t like vegetables. This recipe is ideal when broccoli are in season and, served with a piece of bread, preferably homemade, it becomes the right solution for dinner! Let’s go to the kitchen: our potato and broccoli skillet pie with ham and mozzarella is waiting, but before we start, remember that if you want to stay updated on my recipes you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).

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Difficulty: Very easy
Cost: Very affordable
Preparation time: 45 Minutes
Portions: 6
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

1.32 lb potatoes (about 21 oz)
12 oz broccoli (cleaned)
to taste salt
2 eggs (medium)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2.1 oz Grana Padano, grated (or Parmesan — about 2/3 cup)
5 slices cooked ham
10.6 oz mozzarella for pizza (good quality or pasta filata)

Tools

Skillet nonstick skillet with heavy bottom, 8.7–9.4 in
Bowl
Stove
Microwave oven
Pot
Potato ricer

Preparation

Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water, add salt and cook for 35–40 minutes from boiling or until a skewer slides in easily and they are soft; don’t overcook them — it’s better to leave them slightly undercooked as they will finish cooking by residual heat. Drain and let them cool gently at room temperature. Or do as I do: after washing place them in a bowl, add half a glass of water and cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap or a plate to reduce steam release. Cook in the microwave at 750W for 20 minutes, then remove and let them cool a few minutes.
Separate the broccoli florets from each other, remove the hardest part of the stems with a knife, rinse and plunge them into boiling salted water. Cook them until very soft, then drain very well, place them in a bowl, let them cool a little and mash them very well with a fork. Add the mashed potatoes too; if you use a potato ricer you won’t need to peel them because the skins will remain inside the ricer.
Mix the mixture, add plenty of grated cheese, salt, the eggs and the breadcrumbs — just enough to obtain a dense mixture that is not too wet.
Line a baking dish or a heavy-bottomed skillet with parchment paper, lightly oil it and spread half of the mixture over it.
Top with good-quality pizza mozzarella or the cheese you chose, add the cooked ham and cover with the remaining mixture. Do not use classic mozzarella because it’s too watery.
Cook over very low heat with the lid on a medium burner for 15 minutes. After that time, place a large sheet of parchment paper over the pie and, using a plate of the right size and a little force, flip the skillet to transfer the contents onto the plate.
Then slide the contents back into the skillet so that the new parchment sheet remains under the pie and in contact with the pan, and cook the other side for another 15 minutes. After the time is up, turn off the heat and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes before flipping onto a serving plate and enjoying.