Potato Skillet Pie

This potato skillet pie is kind of a cross between mashed potatoes and a frittata. It's fast and easy to prepare, though it needs 45 minutes in the oven and 10 minutes to cool before serving. It's much prettier than I expected it would be for such a simple dish. This would be great to take to a potluck.

It is also yummy. We ate less than half of it in the first sitting and we enjoyed the leftovers for the next few days. It was even good for breakfast. It's a great dish to make on a winter evening (or a cold, rainy spring evening) when all you can find in your pantry is some potatoes, some eggs, some onions, and some butter. You could even do without the onions.

There are several variations suggested, and I chose to top mine with caramelized onions. You could also saute some artichokes and cook them in with the potato mixture. You could add any kind of cheese you like, or chop up some green garlic, simmer in a little water, and then add to the potato mixture before baking.

Begin by preheating the oven to 375. Put an oven-proof skillet (such as cast iron) in the oven with 1 tablespoon of butter until melted. Slosh it around the pan, then scatter 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese over it to make a crust for the potatoes. (Bread crumbs would work instead of the parmesan.) Peel and cut 2 pounds of yukon gold potatoes into chunks. Put them in a big pan, cover with cold water, add a teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are soft - about 20 minutes.

While they're cooking, finely chop a couple cloves of garlic with 1/2 t. salt until a paste forms. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot, add the garlic paste and 3 T. butter and mash the potatoes. Taste for salt and pepper, making sure the potatoes are highly seasoned. Stir in 4 eggs (lightly beaten), and 3 T. chopped sage. (I used dried sage, so I cut it back to 2 teaspoons or so.) When nicely mixed, transfer the whole mass to the skillet, smooth the top, and bake until golden - about 45 minutes. The edges should be dry and pulling away from the pan. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes or so. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and unmold onto a plate.

While it is cooking, you can chop 3-4 onions and fry them in some butter. Ten minutes should be enough time, but if you keep cooking them over low heat, they'll just get more and more sweet. I added a little sage to mine. Season with salt and pepper and spoon over the potato pie. I garnished with chopped parsley, which was a fresh and festive addition.

Things I'd do differently next time: I'd like to experiment with this one some more. I like the idea of the green garlic, if I can find it at the farmers market.