At a Glance
- Potato Type: Russet
- Prep Method: Baked
- Special Requests: Kid Friendly
- Yield: 8
- Prep Time:
- Ready Time:
- Cook Time:
Recipe By: United States Potato Board
This recipe closely resembles a dish from Apulia, pitta di patate. We prefer baking the potatoes, rather than boiling them, as they make for a firmer crust. It will not, however, become fully crisp in either case. The chewy potato character will always dominate.
Ingredients
14 – 15 ounces (about 1-3/4 cups) ricotta cheese
1 pound baking or boiling potatoes
1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour or as needed
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sliced, pitted green olives
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram or summer savory
Preparation
Spoon the ricotta cheese into a sieve placed over a bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours to drain off the liquid. Place the baking potatoes in an oven preheated to 400 degrees F and bake until very soft, about 1 hour. Cut in half, scoop out the potato flesh into a ricer or food mill, (or, if cooking the potatoes on the stovetop, peel them and place in a saucepan with salted water to cover generously. Bring to a boil and boil until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well and pass through a ricer or food mill placed over a bowl, or simply mash.) Put riced potatoes in the bowl of an electric mixer. While potatoes are still warm, add the flour as needed and the salt and knead it in to make a firm, smooth dough similar to gnocchi dough. This can be done by hand or in an electric mixer but not a food processor. You may want to knead it a bit on a pastry board.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into an 11-inch round about 1/4 inch thick. Turn up the edges to resemble a pizza crust. (This rolled pastry can sit at room temperature for a number of hours before baking.) Spread the ricotta over the crust then distribute the olives evenly over the ricotta. Sprinkle with the pepper, parmesan cheese and chopped marjoram or savory. Brush the edge of the dough with olive oil. Bake until golden, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm, cut into wedges.
Note: For individual hors d’oeuvres you may be able to roll out the dough and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter, make a depression in the center and add the cheese, etc.
