I make this as an appetizer and it never fails to please.
FOR 6 PEOPLE
7-9 POTATOES – SIZE OF YOUR FIST
½ lb FRESH MOZZARELLA.
1 LINK OF ITALIAN SAUSAGE REMOVED FROM SKIN – AT LEAST 16 OZ
3 OZ GRATED PARMESAN
1 OZ GRATED PECORINO
(OR JUST 5 OZ OF GRATED CHEESE TOTAL)
2 EGGS LIGHTLY BEATEN
4 OZ OF BUTTER
PARSLEY
NUTMEG
SALT AND PEPPE
Lightly butter and sprinkle with “pangratto” (breadcrumbs) in an 8 or 9-inch springform pan.
Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and cook just until tender enough to pass through a ricer. Meanwhile, cut the mozzarella into slices and pat dry if too wet. Chop up the sausage meat and cook. Chop the parsley.
After they are tender, drain the potatoes, peel and pass them through the potato ricer. Into a bowl, add 4 oz of butter, the lightly beaten eggs, the cooked sausage, the grated cheese and parsley and mix with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with just a pinch of salt, (because the cheese is also salty) but sprinkle with an abundance of ground of pepper and a grate of nutmeg. Mix again and set aside.
Spoon about a little more than half into your casserole dish (I use a springform pan 9-inches) cover with the slices of mozzarella (try not to get the mozzarella too close to the edge as that makes it stick to the sides of the pan and difficult to cut) and finish with the remaining potato mixture. Dust with breadcrumbs, “pangratto” (I used flavored) cover with butter slices and cook in a hot oven at 350º for 40-45 minutes.
This can be used as a side dish, an appetizer or scooped into buns for a sandwich, “panino or tramezzio”. Our grown grandsons devour this and would be very happy if I just offered a crusty loaf of Italian bread and maybe a salad along with it and call it a meal.
BUON MANGIATA!
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