Stringy Neapolitan Gattò. Original Recipe
My gattò is exactly the “GATTO’ ” (with an accent on the ‘ò’ and two ‘tt’), not to be confused with the “gateau di patate” because the real Neapolitan one is called like this and the recipe is taken (with some of my variations) from Jeanne Caròla Francesconi’s book “La Cucina Napoletana”, which is widely regarded as the “bible” of Neapolitan cuisine.
I often prepare this stringy gattò for celebrations and occasions (Christmas, Easter) and in any case when I have guests because it is always a great success and is appreciated by everyone (adults and children) plus it’s convenient because you can prepare it in advance or even freeze it (already cooked).
The gattò is a very rich dish, so it can easily serve as a jolly dish and be served as a main course or as a side dish.
This is the original Neapolitan recipe for gateau of potatoes or the gattò. The correct form to describe this wonderful potato pie is precisely: GATTO’ (and NOT gateau) as many think, the reason is well described in this article.
If you love, like me, Neapolitan cuisine, also check the Section of my Blog entirely dedicated to typical Neapolitan recipes (sweet and savory): “CUCINA NAPOLETANA DOC“.
You might also be interested in:
Roasted Potato Skewers, with Special Paprika and Worcestershire Sauce
Crispy Outside, Soft Inside Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Stringy Neapolitan Pasta and Potatoes with Provola. All Secrets.
- Baked Creamy and Stringy Pumpkin, Potato, and Fontina Pasta. Easy and Quick Recipe
- Fusilli with Potato and Walnut Pesto Baked with Provola. Very Easy Rustic Recipe.
- Quick Pan Focaccia Without Yeast, with Potatoes and Cheese.
- Air Fryer French Fries, Crispy and Light with Very Little Oil. Tested Recipe.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Campania
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for Stringy Neapolitan Gattò
- 5.5 lbs Potatoes (old, yellow-fleshed)
- 8.5 tbsp Butter (also half butter and half lard)
- 3 Eggs (whole)
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1/3 cup Whole milk
- 1.5 cups Parmigiano Reggiano (grated (also half Parmigiano and half pecorino))
- 5 pinches Salt (fine, about 2 tsp)
- to taste Pepper
- to taste Parsley (optional)
- 3 tbsp Butter (to brush the surface of the gattò)
- to taste Breadcrumbs (for the surface of the gattò)
- 3.5 oz Neapolitan salami (sliced)
- 3.5 oz Mortadella (sliced)
- 10.5 oz Fiordilatte (well drained or Mozzarella)
- 5 oz Provola
- 2 oz Caciocavallo (sweet, or scamorza, or sorrento))
- 2 Hard-boiled eggs (optional, I don't use them)
Tools
- Bowl
- Pot
- Potato Masher Braun electric
- Baking Dish irresistible glass
Preparation of Stringy Neapolitan Gattò
Important: the weight of the potatoes indicated in the ingredients (5.5 lbs) refers to raw potatoes with skin; in the end, you should have about 4.4 lbs of cooked and mashed potatoes.
Wash the potatoes and boil them with the skin and a pinch of coarse salt, covered just with cold water (with the lid) over high heat until boiling, then once it boils, lower the heat and cook for half an hour (without the lid). Peel the potatoes while they are still hot and then work them hot with a hand blender (or with a bottle) the mixture MUST be smooth, homogeneous, and STRINGY (I used my Braun electric potato masher, see Shopping Tips below).
When the potatoes are still hot, then incorporate the butter, grated Parmigiano, milk, chopped cold cuts (not the cheeses yet), salt, pepper, and parsley, then once the mixture has cooled to warm, also add the 3 whole eggs and 1 yolk.
Grease well with butter a mold about 14 x 9 inches with a height of 2.5 inches (an aluminum baking dish for about 8-10 people is also fine) sprinkle everything with breadcrumbs and place half the potato mixture on the bottom, smoothing it out with oiled hands (or with water).
Place the cheese slices (and hard-boiled eggs, optional) on the mashed potato layer and cover everything well with the other half.
Smooth the ENTIRE surface well with oiled hands (not wet with water) sprinkle it all with breadcrumbs, distribute many thin knobs of butter (or even lard) and sprinkle the entire surface again with breadcrumbs (DOUBLE breading). If you can keep it in the fridge for 1 or 2 hours before baking, it’s better, but not essential.
Bake the gattò in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 30/45 minutes (depending on your oven) until it forms a delicious golden and crispy crust.
Important: since the gattò is very stringy, after you have taken it out of the oven, wait 20 minutes before serving it.
Notes and Tips
Jeanne Caròla Francesconi, in her book “La Cucina Napoletana” (the bible of Neapolitan Cuisine) writes that some add a thin layer of béchamel above the mozzarella slices, personally I have never tried this option, but I believe it is already a richly abundant and stringy dish.
Shopping Tips !!!
I mashed the potatoes and made them smooth with the very handy electric potato masher very useful for vegetable puree or for sifting ricotta, accessory included with my Braun MQ9047 MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender, with 5 Accessories, 1200 W .
Great baking dishes are these irresistible pyrex dishes in borosilicate glass: 100% natural and hygienic material, ideal for oven cooking up to 572°F. They withstand thermal shocks, can go directly from the freezer at –4°F to the oven at 464°F.
You can purchase all the items I recommend above on Amazon, at a great price, just click directly on the respective links.
