Tomato Potato Cake

The tomato potato cake is a rustic and hearty dish, perfect as a casual meal or as an appetizer in a dinner with friends. Let’s look at the ingredients and the method together.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of potatoes
• 400 g of canned peeled tomatoes or fresh ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 small onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A few leaves of fresh basil
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 200 g of smoked scamorza or mozzarella (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by peeling the potatoes and cutting them into thin slices, then boil them in salted boiling water for about 5-7 minutes. They should remain al dente.
2. In the meantime, prepare a simple tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the finely chopped garlic and onion. Add the peeled tomatoes and cook over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper, and add the hand-torn basil towards the end of cooking.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
4. Once ready, drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly.
5. In a baking dish, create a layer with half of the potato slices, pour over some of the tomato sauce and sprinkle, if you wish, with some grated Parmesan cheese and mozzarella or scamorza cut into small pieces.
6. Create another layer with the remaining potatoes, pour the rest of the sauce, and finish with a further sprinkle of Parmesan.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the surface becomes golden and crispy.
8. Once cooked, let the tomato potato cake rest for a few minutes before serving.

The tomato potato cake can be enjoyed both hot and cold and is excellent when accompanied by a green salad or a side of grilled vegetables. It is a versatile dish that can be enriched with other ingredients such as olives, capers, or even anchovies cut into rings.

For an Italian touch, you could also add grated pecorino cheese or aromatic herbs like rosemary in the last layer of potatoes for an even more intense flavor. Enjoy your meal!