Salentine potato pie, a kind of focaccia consisting of two layers of seasoned mashed potatoes, with a filling of onions cooked with tomatoes, olives, capers, and anchovies. Oregano is essential to seal this Southern recipe. The two layers of potatoes are properly seasoned with mint, eggs, plenty of pecorino, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. If desired, the filling can be enriched with ham, tuna, sardines, or plenty of vegetables, as I like it. It is obvious that anyone who has been to Puglia and has tried the local cuisine finds it difficult to forget and even more difficult to come back home and not try to reproduce the same flavors.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 50 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven, Boiling, Stove
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Puglia
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 263.83 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 23.17 (g) of which sugars 2.94 (g)
- Proteins 8.41 (g)
- Fat 15.94 (g) of which saturated 4.68 (g)of which unsaturated 1.99 (g)
- Fibers 3.21 (g)
- Sodium 836.92 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 130 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 Salentine Potato Pie
- 1.3 lbs potatoes
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup pecorino
- 1 sprig mint (fresh)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 cup onions
- 1 cup tomatoes
- 1 tbsp salted capers
- 1/4 cup pitted olives
- 1 tbsp anchovies in oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 grated parmesan
Tools for Preparing the Pie
- Saucepan
- Tray
- Parchment paper
- Pan
- Spoon
- Fork
- Potato masher
Steps
Boil the potatoes for 30 minutes in cold water over high heat.
Pass the hot potatoes through the potato masher and reduce to purée. Season them with pepper and a pinch of salt, add the egg with the pecorino, parmesan, and breadcrumbs with fresh mint.
Meanwhile, prepare the pie filling. In a pan, put the extra virgin olive oil and the finely chopped onion, let it brown slightly, and add the anchovies in oil, capers, and pitted olives. Cook for a few minutes and add the finely chopped tomatoes. Finally, after ten minutes of cooking, turn off the heat and add the dried oregano and some fresh mint leaves. Do not add salt to this preparation.
In a baking tray with parchment paper, spread half of the seasoned potatoes over the surface of the tray.
Cover with the previously cooked onion and tomato filling.
Cover the pie with the remaining seasoned potato purée and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and the grated cheese mix.
Bake at 350°F for 20/25 minutes. It’s ready when a nice crispy golden crust forms on the outside.
Here you can unleash your creativity: you can make it low or high, in a smaller pan, according to your tastes.
And here it is, my Salentine potato pie.
Advice
I can always recommend potatoes as a specialty. It is hypothesized that this recipe arrived in Southern Italy, Sicily, and Campania, during the Angevin period, although the origins are uncertain. Surely a low-cost recipe accessible to everyone. Potato croquettes.
https://blog.giallozafferano.it/vaipinacucina/crocchette-di-patate/
https://blog.giallozafferano.it/vaipinacucina/crocchette-di-patate/
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use other ingredients for the filling of the Salentine potato pie?
Of course, cooked ham and vegetables could be a good alternative for the Salentine pie.
