Preparation of the stuffed potato roll

• For best results, I recommend preparing this stuffed potato roll in advance (even the day before). This is a naturally soft preparation and it will never have the compact consistency of a meatloaf. So, to get neat, well-defined slices, it’s important to let it cool completely. Once stabilized, you can slice it without difficulty and reheat the slices when serving: they will be soft and pleasantly gooey, just like freshly baked. If, however, you prefer to enjoy it immediately, let it cool for at least 20–30 minutes before slicing so it holds its shape better while remaining very soft.

  

• Wash the potatoes very well under running water (if they have soil residue, scrub them with a small brush under the tap). Then boil them with the skin on starting from cold salted water. Cooking time depends a lot on the size of your potatoes and is approximately 30–35 minutes.

  

• Once cooked, pass them immediately through the potato ricer and collect the purée in a large bowl. Remember you don’t need to peel them first; the skin will remain in the ricer. Try it!

  

• Immediately add the butter in pieces and mix it perfectly into the still-warm potato mixture (this will help it melt).

  

• Now add the grated cheese, the thyme, a generous pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix again, then let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.

  

• When the potatoes are lukewarm, add the eggs lightly beaten and the potato starch sifted through a fine-mesh sieve. Mix until the ingredients are combined: you should obtain a soft but supported mixture. It should not be creamy like a purée. Roughly, if you scoop it with a spoon it should hold its shape and not spread immediately. If it’s too soft, add a little more starch but only one teaspoon at a time, incorporate and reassess. Don’t overdo it, otherwise you’ll get a roll that’s too compact. Now let it rest for another 10 minutes: the starch will absorb and change the texture of the mixture.

  

• Grease a sheet of parchment paper with butter and spread the potato mixture on it, leveling with a spatula. Form a rectangle about 12 × 10 in and approximately 5/8 in thick.

  

• At this point, lay the slices of cooked ham over the potato mixture, leaving a small border all around.

  

• Arrange the slices of scamorza over the ham, then sprinkle everything with about 2 tbsp of grated cheese (about 20 g).

  

• With the help of the parchment paper, roll the potato rectangle and seal the ends tightly.

  

• Transfer it into a baking pan, keeping it on its parchment paper. This is not the moment to move it to another sheet of paper since we don’t want to risk breaking it while shifting it, right? Finally, brush it with a thin layer of lightly beaten egg white: this helps create a drier, firmer surface during baking, promotes even browning and improves the roll’s ability to hold together when cut.

  

• Bake the stuffed potato roll in a conventional oven preheated to 374°F for 40 minutes, switching to convection mode for the last 5 minutes of baking.

  

• When baking is complete, remove the roll from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing (even better if you let it cool completely). It’s possible that the roll might open slightly on the surface during baking: don’t worry, this is perfectly normal since it’s very soft. Once cooled, you can gently press it with your hands to compact it and reshape it without difficulty. Enjoy! Paola

• I’d like to remind you that you can follow me on various social networks to stay updated on the new recipes I publish. You can find me on Facebook (HERE), on Twitter (HERE), on Pinterest (HERE), on Instagram (HERE) and also on TikTok (@zenzero_limone). Thank you ♥!