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Makes 1 x 20 cm cake
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 1 hour
Oven temperature: 220°C
- 650 g Mediterranean potatoes
- 100 g smoked ham or fried bacon (optional), chopped
- 5 spring onions, chopped
- 6 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped
- about 45 ml extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
1 Preheat the oven and wash the potatoes well. Using a sharp knife (or mandolin), thinly slice the unpeeled potatoes.
2 Place the potatoes, ham, spring onions and herbs in a mixing bowl, stir in 30ml of the oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3 Grease a small ovenproof frying pan with the remaining oil and arrange the sliced potatoes in layers until they’re all used up. Now for the secret: press the potatoes down firmly with a weight such as a second pan, round ovenproof pot or cake tin to compress them. Cook for a few minutes on the stovetop to brown the bottom of the cake and then place in the oven, with the weight on top. Bake for about 1 hour. Test with a skewer to see if the potatoes are cooked and allow to cool slightly.
4 To serve Place a chopping board or serving platter upside down on the pan and turn out the cake in one smooth movement. Cut into squares and enjoy hot or at room temperature.
