The potato skillet cake is an irresistibly tasty side dish, perfect for enhancing any meal with its golden crust and tender, creamy center. Made with simple boiled potatoes, a little oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of parsley, this dish is the ideal solution for a practical and quick dinner. Prepared without eggs and with ingredients accessible to everyone, this cake is often also called ‘egg-free potato frittata’ or ‘boiled potato frittata’ due to its shape and cooking technique similar to a frittata while maintaining a unique and irresistible personality. One of the great qualities of the potato skillet cake is its versatility: the basic recipe can be enriched with Parmesan, diced ham, melted cheese, or even vegetables – as in this potato and kale cake – transforming it each time into a tasty and surprising variant; you can also make a stuffed version like this potato cake with ham and mozzarella. To achieve the perfect crust, simply cook it in a non-stick pan and gently flip it halfway through cooking with a plate or lid. It will win over both adults and children and will be a valuable ally for creating a tasty and homely dish in just a few minutes.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 262.20 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 34.50 (g) of which sugars 1.61 (g)
- Proteins 4.07 (g)
- Fat 13.06 (g) of which saturated 1.89 (g)of which unsaturated 0.09 (g)
- Fibers 4.20 (g)
- Sodium 400.99 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 168 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
Ingredients for a 9-inch diameter potato skillet cake
- 1.75 lbs potatoes
- 5 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 clove garlic
Tools
- 1 Microwave
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Potato masher
- 1 Pan non-stick of 9-inch diameter
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Lid plate, 9 inches in diameter
How to prepare the potato skillet cake
To prepare the potato skillet cake, start by boiling the whole potatoes with the skin in salted boiling water for about 40 minutes (20 minutes from the whistle, if using the pressure cooker), until they are tender. If you have the microwave, you will save a lot of time by cooking the potatoes without water: follow the instructions you find here! Drain them, peel them, and mash them with a potato masher (1). Combine 3 tablespoons of oil, about half a teaspoon of salt, and a grind of pepper (2). Finely chop the parsley and add it to the potato puree (3).
Mix thoroughly with a spoon, taste, and adjust the salt if necessary (4). In a non-stick pan of 9-inch diameter, lightly sauté the peeled garlic clove in 2 tablespoons of oil (5). Then remove the garlic and gently transfer the potatoes into the pan (be careful at this stage as the hot oil may splash), compacting the surface well with the back of the spoon (6).
Let it cook over high heat for 4-5 minutes, occasionally moving the pan back and forth on the stove to see if the cake detaches from the bottom. After 5 minutes, with the help of a plate or a lid, flip the potato cake as if it were a frittata and slide it back into the pan (7), so the colored side is facing up. Don’t worry if the potato cake breaks during this operation, you can easily compact it again in the pan with the spoon (8). Let it cook for another 4-5 minutes, still moving the pan slightly so the bottom detaches (9).
After 5 minutes, the bottom will also have taken color. If the cake tends to detach when moving the pan, it is ready. Flip it again onto the serving plate and garnish it with some chopped parsley. Serve the potato skillet cake immediately, as a side dish for fish or meat dishes.
Storage
If there is any leftover, you can store the cake in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
Tips and Variations
The potato cake dough can be enriched with grated Parmesan, nutmeg, spices like paprika or turmeric, or even diced cooked ham, bacon or sausage previously sautéed in a pan, stewed peas, sautéed mushrooms, or boiled green beans.
