My mom and I decided to cook and bake something together. We went for a hearty dish, the Potato Gateau. The recipe is of Neapolitan origins and we imprinted our Venetian twist in replacing a few ingredients.
This dish is rich, tasty, and has a savory filling that makes it ideal for a chilly fall day. But what is potato gateau? The potato gateau is an Italian pie that consists of mashing the potatoes with butter, eggs and parmesan. Topped with some breadcrumbs, you will have a golden savory cake that will reveal its scrumptious filling, definitely a mouthwatering meal.
Why you will love it
– It requires a few simple ingredients, that you might have in your pantry.
– This recipe is very easy to make, it will require only a bit of time to boil the potatoes.
– It is delicious and your kids will love it.
– You can serve it as a main meal or as an appetizer.
– The recipe is very versatile. In the variations, you can see how many incredible creations you can prepare.
Where does Potato Gateau come from?
The gateau derives from the French word gateaux, which means a generic cake, either sweet or salted. The origins of gateau go back to the 18th century when Queen Maria Carolina from the Habsburg family married the king Ferdinando of Borbone I. It is under her influence that Naples became a melting pot for high-level chefs coming from all `over Europe.
Among many innovations, she also imported the French taste and gateau finds its origins in the French influence brought by the Queen.
How to make a Potato Gateau with a Venetian twist
To make this Italian potato pie, you will need
Potato: we used potatoes from the Trentino region, which are very similar for consistency to the russet potatoes.
Eggs: we used eggs that are farm-raised. You can look for organic.
Smoked scamorza: it is a cheese typical of southern Italy. It has a pear shape. Its smoked version adds a nice taste to the dish.
Venetian soppressa: this is an aged salami typical of the Veneto region. Our local salami is rich and tasty and definitely contributes to add a Venetian twist.
Asiago cheese: it is a regional cow cheese from the Alpine area of Asiago Plateau. It can be pressed or aged. Its pressed version has a more delicate taste, it is ideal to use in savory pie or baked pasta , as it melts easily and enriches the dish.
Parmesan: to add to the potato, gives a pleasant savory taste.
Butter: to add in the dough when the potato are mashed and still hot.
Breadcrumbs: to add a final crunch to the dish.
And finally nutmeg: a typical spice thad adds a fall touch and that in Veneto we use a lot when we prepare recipes with potatoes.
How to assemble the ingredients
Start by boiling the potatoes. Once they are tender, peel them and mash them, adding butter, nutmeg, parmesan, and eggs. I separate 2 egg whites and whip it to lift the potato pie. Take a baking dish and butter it, placing half of the dough inside.
Continue by layering it with the filling:adding a few slices of smoked scamorza, then add the soppressa, and finish with the Asiago cheese cubed.
Cover it with the rest of the dough and sprinkle on top the breadcrumbs. Bake it in the oven at 350° F (180°C) for 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve it immediately and enjoy it.
Potato Gateau variations and substitutions
This dish is suitable as a unique, complete meal. If you prefer to make it vegetarian, omit the soppressa, to make it instead gluten-free, replace the breadcrumbs with their gluten-free version.
A few variations include adding vegetables, this dish will go well with a filling of mushrooms or peas, or you could also mash the potato with pumpkin.
In terms of substitutions:
Asiago cheese can be replaced with mozzarella, as it is in Neapolitan origins’ original recipe.
Smoked scamorza: you can sub it with smoked mozzarella or provolone cheese.
Soppressa: you can sub it with salami or cooked ham.
Serving suggestions
You can serve the potato gateau as the main dish during a weeknight dinner, followed by the Little Italian Salad as side dish. Or you can bake in a smaller mold and serve it as an appetizer for dinner with friends. In south Italy is served as a typical Christmas appetizer.
Storing suggestions
The potato pie keeps in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Which wine to pair with Potato Gateau
The potato gateau pairs well with a glass of white wine. Sauvignon from Friuli is a good choice as its fresh and fruity notes will bring some freshness to the palate, balancing this recipe’s richness.
A more interesting choice would be Lacrimabianco, a white wine from the slopes of Vesuvio, the Vulcan near Naples. This wine has mineral notes due to the volcanic soil on which the vines grow. Its silky taste pairs well with the gateau.
Ingredients
For the potato pie layers
- 2⅛ pound potatoes
- 2/3 cup parmesan shredded
- ½ cup butter cubed
- 2 eggs white (see notes)
- 3 eggs yolk (see notes)
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 handful rock salt
For the filling
- ⅓ cup scamorza smoked sliced
- ⅙ pound soppressa sliced (see notes)
- 1 cup asiago cubed (see notes)
For the crusty topping
- 4 tbsp breadcrumbs
Instructions
For the potato layers
- Start by boing the potatoes in salted water for around 30 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, peel them and mash them inside a bowl.
- Add the butter, the nutmeg, the parmesan, 3 eggs yolks and 2 eggs white, whipped.
- Mix all the ingredients until uniform. This "dough" will be your base and your top layer.
- Take a baking dish, cover it with baking paper and spread the first layer.
For the filling
- Add the slices of smoked scamorza.
- Add the slices of soppressa.
- Finish with the cubes of Asiago.
- Top the filling with the remaining potato dough.
For the topping
- Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs on top and bake it at 350°F (180°C) for 30-40 minutes until the top is crusty and golden brown.
Notes
- You can increase the number of eggs by 2 yolks, in case you would like a more firm consistency to the pie. I think that 3 eggs and 2 eggs white it is just perfect.
- To whip the whites, I recommend starting whipping at the minimum speed and then increasing it little by little to the maximum. It will incorporate more air as the eggs are whipping, making them firm.
- You can sub smoked scamorza with smoked mozzarella or provolone.
- The soppressa, which is a typical regional product of the Veneto region, can be substituted with salami or cooked ham.
- For the Asiago, also a region Venetian product, you can use instead mozzarella.
Nutrition
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