ORIGINAL POTATO PIE recipe
Recipes where potatoes are the main ingredient are practically endless, but the POTATO PIE is undoubtedly one of the most beloved by both adults and children, bringing everyone together.
Today we will see how to prepare in just a few steps and bring to the table a great classic of Italian cuisine, a timeless dish: the POTATO PIE, a succulent potato pie with an irresistible golden crust!
A cornerstone of Neapolitan cuisine, although history tells us that the recipe was passed down from France during the Bourbon Kingdom of the Two Sicilies at the end of the 1700s. What matters, regardless of where the Potato Pie recipe originated, is its deliciousness, which no one can resist.
Every family passes down their version of this typical preparation made with boiled potatoes. Today I offer you mine, always characterized by the inevitable golden crust!
The Simple Potato Pie Recipe that is prepared in a few steps. You will need to boil the potatoes (preferably yellow-fleshed) and once cooked, mash them in a bowl with a potato masher. Add eggs, grated cheese, salt, and pepper, then add the cold cuts and cheeses of your choice (I use cooked ham and salami) and mix with the rest.
Simply place the mixture in a buttered and breadcrumb-sprinkled baking dish, sprinkle the surface with breadcrumbs and a few knobs of butter, and bake for about 30 minutes for a perfect golden crust.
An easy and quick recipe, perfect when you want to bring a rich and tasty dish to the table, the potato pie is delicious freshly baked, hot and gooey, and this potato pie is also excellent the next day; just heat it for a few minutes to make it crispy and flavorful again.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 492.03 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 39.85 (g) of which sugars 1.88 (g)
- Proteins 25.10 (g)
- Fat 26.30 (g) of which saturated 13.46 (g)of which unsaturated 9.16 (g)
- Fibers 4.81 (g)
- Sodium 1,072.21 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS TO PREPARE the POTATO PIE baking dish of 12×9 inches
- 3.3 lbs potatoes (old)
- 2.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
- 3 eggs (medium)
- to taste salt
- 1 pinch black pepper (ground)
- 8.8 oz Neapolitan salami (or cooked ham in a single slice)
- 8.8 oz buffalo mozzarella (or provola)
- breadcrumbs (for the surface)
- butter (a few knobs for the surface)
Tools
- Pot
- Potato masher
- Baking dish
POTATO PIE RECIPE
First, you need to boil the potatoes. Place them in a large pot, cover with plenty of water, and calculate about 35/40 minutes from the moment of boiling or until you can easily skewer the potatoes with a fork. Then drain them, cut them in half, and mash them while still warm in the potato masher. You will see that the skin stays in the potato masher. Let them cool in a bowl
While the potatoes cool, prepare the ingredients for the filling of the Potato Pie. So cut the salami (or cooked ham) into cubes and do the same with the smoked provola (or mozzarella).
Now that the potatoes have cooled, add the grated cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, cubed salami or ham, and smoked provola or mozzarella. Mix with a spoon until all the ingredients are well combined. If it seems too dry, you can add a little milk; if it seems too soft, add more grated cheese.
Butter a rectangular baking dish (12×9 inches) and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Transfer the potato, cold cuts, and cheese mixture inside and level the surface with a spatula. Finish by sprinkling the pie with more breadcrumbs and knobs of butter. Bake in a static oven at 392°F for about 40 minutes. For a perfect golden crust, bake for another 5 minutes with the oven set to grill. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
STORAGE
The potato pie can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can also freeze it both cooked and uncooked: in both cases, just let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
NOTES AND TIPS
POTATOES: The best potatoes for making potato pie are old ones because they have lost their water content, have a higher concentration of starch, are more compact, and therefore mash more easily. The traditional Neapolitan potato pie is made with potatoes native to the Campania region, such as those from Camposano.
POTATO PIE FILLING: The potato pie is a dish that easily transforms into a fridge cleaner: if you have other cheeses or cold cuts, even those not in cubes, it’s the time to use them to make the dish even richer.
POTATO PIE VARIATIONS
If you prefer, you can replace Parmigiano Reggiano with pecorino, or Neapolitan salami with cooked ham. Some versions add a bit of chopped parsley which adds freshness and reminds the taste of Neapolitan Crocchè.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
WHAT ARE THE BEST POTATOES FOR MASH AND POTATO PIE
The best potatoes for potato pie and mash are old potatoes. Perhaps you don’t know that if you store new potatoes in a cool, dark place, after 2-3 months from harvesting, they can already be considered old potatoes. To recognize old potatoes from new ones, consider that they appear slightly dusty, the flesh is no longer smooth but slightly wrinkled and thick. They are the perfect type for mash, gnocchi, and potato pie because they have lost part of their water content, resulting in being more compact, with a higher concentration of starch, and therefore ideal for mashing.
