Recipe: Potato Cake

Recipe Source: Wilcox, Kip. Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. Simon & Schuster, New York, 1990 pp. 555-6

This is another Sunday dinner dish. I wanted something relatively mild, since I suspected that one of our guests was someone who doesn't care for strong flavors. I also wanted something with carbs, because many of our guests are there for a particularly intense workout. This dish fit the bill nicely. I made one significant change in that I used Parnassos cheese in place of Swiss. It has a similar texture to Swiss but a different flavor, one I personally prefer. I also increased the amount of basil I put into this. The result was a popular and delicious side dish.

Potato Cake (serves 8; approx. $1.48/serving)

6 large potatoes, thinly sliced

1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

¼ cup olive oil

½ pound grated Parnassos cheese

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 pinch kosher salt

40 grinds fresh ground cubeb

½ cup finely chopped basil

Equipment:

• Large roasting pan
• Deep-dish pie plate
• Aluminum foil
• Bowl

1. Preheat your oven to 350 ̊.
2. Combine the potatoes, onions and bay leaves in the roasting pan with the olive oil. Toss to coat, then smooth into a single layer.
3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes.
4. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes.
5. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
6. Lubricate the pie plate, then layer the potatoes with the cheese mixture. The final layer should be cheese.
7. Cover with more aluminum foil and bake 15 minutes.
8. Serve.