A potato take on Italian scarpaccia !

You’ve probably seen the viral zucchini scarpaccia that makes the crispiest bread just by mixing a couple of simple ingredients in a bowl and then baking them in the oven.

Here I bring you a potato and Parmesan cheese version that I’ve been obsessed with ! It’s delicious just on its own but I love having it as a side with some fried eggs or grilled fish. It also pairs very well with some homemade alioli.

So what is scarpaccia?

It is an Italian savoury tart from the Tuscany region traditionally made with zucchini and zucchini flowers. The original recipe is actually fully vegan although that doesn’t make it less tasty ! It is a one bowl recipe in which you mix the zucchini with some flour, water and rosemary and then bake into a think crispy layer. "Scarpaccia” actually means ugly or old shoe, because once cooked it’s thin as a shoe sole. Although I beg to disagree as I think it looks so lovely and delicious!

In this recipe I’ve substituted the zucchini with my beloved potato and added extra Parmesan because cheese and potato are just a match made in heaven! It is of course quite different from the original version although it shares that lovely crispy texture and of course delicious flavour.

🌱Vegetarian (vegan option)

🍽️ 4 portions

Ingredients

• 300g potato

• 135g plain wheat flour

• 120g water

• 30g extra virgin olive oil

• 45g Parmesan cheese (can substitute with plant-based alternative)

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tsp chopped rosemary

Method

• Wash the potato very well and grate it into coarse strips into a bowl with cold water which will help remove the starch.

• Drain off the starchy water from the potatoes completely. To the same bowl add the water, flour, oil, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and rosemary. Mix well with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.

• Take a 25cm cast iron pan (or an oven safe dish) and rub with some olive oil to prevent the mix from sticking later. Transfer the prepared mix and spread evenly. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and some extra grated Parmesan.

• Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for around 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top. Remove from the baking pan, slice and enjoy !

FAQS and Tips

• You can make the mix in advance, store it in the fridge and bake it once you are ready to eat it

• You can substitute with Parmesan for another hard cheese of your choice such as Manchego or Pecorino