Today’s recipe is another one of my family recipes and one of my favourites! It is actually a regional dish that is very popular both in Campania and Sicily (so I will be tagging it under both regions for my Regional Italian dish series), with some variations. Some people put ham in it instead of mortadella, others use scamorza as one of the cheeses… The term gattò comes from the French gâteau (cake) as this dish does resemble a cake. Many dishes in Campania and Sicily have names that derive from French, having being ruled by France for many years in the past. As I mentioned, I will be sharing my family’s version of gattò, made with mortadella, provolone and fontal, which is the one I prefer… who can resist cheese oozing out of baked potato mash?? Not me! It is usually served as a main (and only) dish as it is quite filling. Enjoy!
Ingredients: (for a 16 cm – 6 ¼ inch springform pan)
500 gms – 1.1 lbs potatoes, boiled (weighed before being boiled)
1 egg
1 tbsp butter
5 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1 pinch nutmeg
50 gms – 1.75 oz. mortadella, thinly sliced
70 gms – 2.5 oz. cheese, thinly sliced (provolone, fontal or mozzarella or a mix of those)
Salt to taste
Butter and Breadcrumbs to coat the pan (plus ½ tbsp butter for the top of the pie)
Boiled the potatoes with the skin on. When cooked and still hot, mash them with a potato ricer. Add 1 tbsp of butter, the Parmigiano Reggiano, nutmeg, the egg and salt to taste. Mix well and keep aside.
In the meantime, prepare the pan. Grease it well with some butter and coat it with breadcrumbs. Make sure it is fully coated, or the pie will stick and you won’t be able to get it out.
Put half the potatoes at the bottom of the pan and press them down flat. Put the mortadella in one layer and the sliced cheese on the top. Finish off with the remaining potatoes. Make sure to flatten them well.
Sprinkle the top with some more breadcrumbs and ½ tbsp of butter cut in small pieces.
Bake in a pre heated oven at 180°C – 355°F for about 30 minutes, or until the top looks golden brown and slightly crusty.
When ready, let it cool down a bit before un-moulding it (it will help to retain its shape).
Slice it, serve warm and enjoy!
Gattò di Patate - Potato Pie
Ingredients
- 500 gms – 1.1 lbs potatoes boiled (weighed before being boiled)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp butter
- 5 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 50 gms – 1.75 oz. mortadella thinly sliced
- 70 gms – 2.5 oz. cheese thinly sliced (provolone, fontal or mozzarella or a mix of those)
- Salt to taste
- Butter and Breadcrumbs to coat the pan plus ½ tbsp butter for the top of the pie
Instructions
-
Boil the potatoes with the skin on. When cooked and still hot, mash them with a potato ricer. Add 1 tbsp of butter, the Parmigiano Reggiano, nutmeg, the egg and salt to taste. Mix well and keep aside.
-
In the meantime, prepare the pan. Grease it well with some butter and coat it with breadcrumbs. Make sure it is fully coated, or the pie will stick and you won’t be able to get it out.
-
Put half the potatoes at the bottom of the pan and press them down flat. Put the mortadella in one layer and the sliced cheese on the top. Finish off with the remaining potatoes. Make sure to flatten them well.
-
Sprinkle the top with some more breadcrumbs and ½ tbsp of butter cut in small pieces.
-
Bake in a pre heated oven at 180°C – 355°F for about 30 minutes, or until the top looks golden brown and slightly crusty.
-
When ready, let it cool down a bit before un-moulding it (it will help to retain its shape).
-
Slice it, serve warm and enjoy!
How delicious! I look forward to trying this soon.
Yum!!! Now that our weather is finally turning cooler, this may have to make it onto the rotation! Beautiful photos as always, Manu!!
Perfect for the weekend…!!!
Hi Manu,
I’ve been quietly following your blog for quite some time and I LOVE the recipes that you post. 🙂
My zia Rosalba introduced me to this dish back in 1989 on one of our summer visits in Calabria (I grew up in Canada). She had made it with home sausage. My mom and I made it often after we came back from our trip.
I will be making your family’s recipe soon for my kids. They just love mortatella and mashed potatoes! Thanks for sharing your family’s recipe!
Tanti saluti dalla Germania,
Rosa
That looks AMAZING! I’m going to be making this VERY soon!
I have never been partial to this dish, and now as I am looking at your pictures I am wondering why??? I know my Italian kids would love it… have to try making it.
Nice site! Love the cheese ooooozing out of the gato. Have made it differently many times – I have a Neopolitan aunt – but your looks delicious. I am expecting guests and am trying to prepare food in advance and not sure if this could this be frozen before cooking so it would be ready quickly?
Hi Vivian!
I am not sure whether you can freeze this before cooking as I am afraid it may become soggy when thawed (which would make it very hard to unmould). You could bake it the day before though and keep it in the fridge. Then just re heat it in the oven for a few minutes until warm throughout. I hope it helps! 🙂
trying this out todayyy*fingers crossed*…:D
Been yearning for this for a long while now… 30 years or so. Thanks to Massimo, I got here! In Capri, we used Mozzarella & ricotta but couldn’t remember what meats. Guess you can add anything you like! Thanks much! Marie
Looks fabulous! I don’t have a potato ricer, can I just mash the potatoes? Nettie
Yes! Of course! Just make sure there are no lumps, so the pie is smooth! 🙂
It’s like the Italian version of Shepard’s Pie. Thanks for sharing this… I’ll try it out with some ham or a mix of prosciutto and capicollo. You might like my Italian Pasta Sausage Pie as well… it’s on the blog. Cheers Mr.CBB
MY DEAR FRIEND AGNES VENEZIA FROM HESTER STREET IN LITTLE ITSLY ALWAYS HAD ONE OF THESE IN HER FREEZER…SHE WOULD POP IT IN THE OVEN…WHEN I CAME TO VISIT…
I MISS AGNES AND THINK OF HER OFTEN..REST IN PEACE MY FRIEND