Naples bakers started layering mashed potato with cheese and salumi in the 1700s, stretching scarce meat into a Sunday centerpiece.
Potato Cake
Dive into the cozy flavors of Trentino with this delightful Potato Cake! Crafted with tender potatoes, fragrant herbs, and a touch of cheese, this savory treat is the ultimate comfort dish for your autumn gatherings. Easy to whip up and bursting with flavor, it's sure to become a favorite at your dinner table!
Prep
15
min
Cook
70
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This Trentino peasant staple traces back to Austro-Hungarian kitchens in 19th-century South Tyrol, where German-speaking farmers grated potatoes like they were making rösti, then threw in Italian Trentingrana because Habsburg borders never stopped a good cheese thief—result is a dish that's properly confused about whether it's wearing lederhosen or a Sunday suit, and nobody in Bolzano cares either way.
Regional Twist
Over in Alto Adige's Val Pusteria, cooks swap half the Trentingrana for smoked Speck fat rendered down instead of plain lard, pushing a smoky, alpine edge into every grated potato layer that pure Trentino versions simply don't have.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 1500 g di patate (molto importante che siano a pasta bianca, come la varietà kennebec, o a buccia rossa, chiedetele al vostro fruttivendolo, se non sono giuste la torta tende a diventare collosa. Se proprio non le trovate aggiungete un cucchiaio di farina o farina di riso nella pastella) (52.9 oz)add a tablespoon of flour or rice flour if necessary
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 100 ml di latte (3.38 fl oz)
- 4 cucchiai di Trentingrana grattugiato da mettere nella pastella e 1 cucchiaio da mettere sopra per la crosticina (60 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- Strutto o olio (anche extra vergine)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Sale e pepe
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
422
Protein
12g
Carbs
67g
Fat
12g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Peel the potatoes and grate them using a wide grater or a blender.
- 2
Add salt, pepper, a splash of milk for a melting heart, and a generous amount of grated Trentingrana cheese for extra flavor.
- 3
Grease a non-stick baking dish with lard or oil, pour in the mixture, and top with more grated Trentingrana cheese.
- 4
Bake in a ventilated oven at 220 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes on the lowest rack until the base is golden brown.
- 5
Move to the middle rack and bake for another 20-30 minutes to brown the top.
- 6
Serve hot, flipped over, with delicious accompaniments.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use only waxy potatoes (Kennebec or red-skinned varieties) because their 16-18% amylose content prevents gelatinization, keeping the cake from becoming gluey; starchy varieties exceed 20% amylose and absorb water excessively.ingredient16-18% amylose (waxy) vs 20%+ (starchy)
- ✓Grate potatoes on the widest setting (6-8mm holes) and work quickly, salting immediately after to draw out starch and create a brine that prevents oxidation; this takes 2-3 minutes total before the batter begins browning.technique6-8mm grater holes, salt within 2-3 minutes
- ✓Bake the first 40 minutes on the lowest rack at 220°C to reach 160-165°C internally via conduction from the bottom, caramelizing the base through the Maillard reaction (requires sustained heat from below); moving to the middle rack after allows top-down radiant heat to brown the surface without burning the base.timing40 minutes lowest rack at 220°C, then 20-30 minutes middle rack
- ✓Add exactly 100ml milk (not more) because potato releases ~15% moisture during cooking; excess liquid prevents crust formation and creates a dense crumb—the milk simply compensates for evaporation loss.ingredient100ml milk, ~15% potato moisture loss
- ✓Use lard (strutto) over olive oil because its higher smoke point (370°F/188°C) and saturated fat content create a crispier, more stable crust than oil; lard's water content (15-20%) also creates steam pockets that aid rise.ingredient370°F/188°C smoke point, 15-20% water content in lard
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
70
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Naples bakers started layering mashed potato with cheese and salumi in the 1700s, stretching scarce meat into a Sunday centerpiece.
Potato Cake
Dive into the cozy flavors of Trentino with this delightful Potato Cake! Crafted with tender potatoes, fragrant herbs, and a touch of cheese, this savory treat is the ultimate comfort dish for your autumn gatherings. Easy to whip up and bursting with flavor, it's sure to become a favorite at your dinner table!
The Story
This Trentino peasant staple traces back to Austro-Hungarian kitchens in 19th-century South Tyrol, where German-speaking farmers grated potatoes like they were making rösti, then threw in Italian Trentingrana because Habsburg borders never stopped a good cheese thief—result is a dish that's properly confused about whether it's wearing lederhosen or a Sunday suit, and nobody in Bolzano cares either way.
Regional Twist
Over in Alto Adige's Val Pusteria, cooks swap half the Trentingrana for smoked Speck fat rendered down instead of plain lard, pushing a smoky, alpine edge into every grated potato layer that pure Trentino versions simply don't have.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 1500 g di patate (molto importante che siano a pasta bianca, come la varietà kennebec, o a buccia rossa, chiedetele al vostro fruttivendolo, se non sono giuste la torta tende a diventare collosa. Se proprio non le trovate aggiungete un cucchiaio di farina o farina di riso nella pastella) (52.9 oz)add a tablespoon of flour or rice flour if necessary
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 100 ml di latte (3.38 fl oz)
- 4 cucchiai di Trentingrana grattugiato da mettere nella pastella e 1 cucchiaio da mettere sopra per la crosticina (60 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- Strutto o olio (anche extra vergine)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Sale e pepe
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
422
Protein
12g
Carbs
67g
Fat
12g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Peel the potatoes and grate them using a wide grater or a blender.
- 2
Add salt, pepper, a splash of milk for a melting heart, and a generous amount of grated Trentingrana cheese for extra flavor.
- 3
Grease a non-stick baking dish with lard or oil, pour in the mixture, and top with more grated Trentingrana cheese.
- 4
Bake in a ventilated oven at 220 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes on the lowest rack until the base is golden brown.
- 5
Move to the middle rack and bake for another 20-30 minutes to brown the top.
- 6
Serve hot, flipped over, with delicious accompaniments.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use only waxy potatoes (Kennebec or red-skinned varieties) because their 16-18% amylose content prevents gelatinization, keeping the cake from becoming gluey; starchy varieties exceed 20% amylose and absorb water excessively.ingredient16-18% amylose (waxy) vs 20%+ (starchy)
- ✓Grate potatoes on the widest setting (6-8mm holes) and work quickly, salting immediately after to draw out starch and create a brine that prevents oxidation; this takes 2-3 minutes total before the batter begins browning.technique6-8mm grater holes, salt within 2-3 minutes
- ✓Bake the first 40 minutes on the lowest rack at 220°C to reach 160-165°C internally via conduction from the bottom, caramelizing the base through the Maillard reaction (requires sustained heat from below); moving to the middle rack after allows top-down radiant heat to brown the surface without burning the base.timing40 minutes lowest rack at 220°C, then 20-30 minutes middle rack
- ✓Add exactly 100ml milk (not more) because potato releases ~15% moisture during cooking; excess liquid prevents crust formation and creates a dense crumb—the milk simply compensates for evaporation loss.ingredient100ml milk, ~15% potato moisture loss
- ✓Use lard (strutto) over olive oil because its higher smoke point (370°F/188°C) and saturated fat content create a crispier, more stable crust than oil; lard's water content (15-20%) also creates steam pockets that aid rise.ingredient370°F/188°C smoke point, 15-20% water content in lard