Gattò di patate (Neapolitan potato cake)

Ingredients

• 700 g red potatoes, unpeeled
• 20 g butter, plus extra for greasing and dotting
• 35 g (⅓ cup) freshly grated parmesan
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 egg
• Sea salt flakes, to taste
• 110 g (1 cup) dried breadcrumbs
• 70 g mortadella (ask your deli person to slice it 2 cm thick), cut into cubes
• 70 g provolone, cut into cubes

Instructions

1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender. Drain and when the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel. If you have a potato ricer, you can pass them through the press without peeling them; if you don’t have a potato ricer, place the cooled, peeled potatoes in a bowl and mash until smooth.
2. Add the butter, parmesan, nutmeg, egg and salt to taste. Mix well and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Carefully grease a 20 cm pie dish with butter and coat with the breadcrumbs.
4. Arrange half the potato mixture in the dish and flatten with a spoon. Add the mortadella and provolone, then top with the remaining potato mixture. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs on top and dot on a few small cubes of butter.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and crisp. Serve hot, warm (easier to portion out) or at room temperature.

Silvia Colloca shares her Italian family secrets in the brand-new third season of Cook like an Italian.