Polpettone Genovese (potato and vegetable casserole) – Liguria
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This is a great starter which works well as a main for any vegetarians. It could also be served as a side dish with a meaty meatloaf and be the vegetarian option.
The vegetables change with the season but generally your options are courgettes, peas, artichokes, runner beans, green beans, dried mushrooms and carrots.
Gluten free friends can leave out the breadcrumbs or use gluten free breadcrumbs.
The vegetables change with the season but generally your options are courgettes, peas, artichokes, runner beans, green beans, dried mushrooms and carrots.
Gluten free friends can leave out the breadcrumbs or use gluten free breadcrumbs.
Author: Woo Wei-Duan
Recipe type: Starter (Antipasto)
Cuisine: Liguria
Serves: 10
Ingredients
- 750 grams potatoes
- 70 grams butter
- 100 mls milk
- 225 grams green beans or runner beans, ends removed and cut into ½ cm dice
- 250 grams carrots, peeled, ends removed and cut into ½ cm dice
- 100 grams peas
- 1 large onion, skin and ends removed and finely chopped
- 1 garlic, skin removed and finely chopped
- 180 grams courgette (1 large), ends removed and cut into ½ cm dice
- 15 mlsextra-virgin olive oilplus more for drizzling
- 100 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
- 6 eggs
- Breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Boil the potatoes in their skins until a fork can easily pierce them.
- Remove from the water with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and either rice or mash the potatoes. Add 50 grams butter, 100 mls milk and salt and pepper to taste to the potatoes. Set aside.
- Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water.
- Next add the carrots to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water.
- Finally, add the peas to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water.
- Drain the vegetables from the water and set aside.
- Saute the onion, garlic and courgette together with the remaining 20 grams butter and the olive oil until soft.
- Add this, the blanched vegetables, the cheese, eggs and salt and pepper to taste to the potatoes and mix well.
- In an oven proof dish, grease the dish with olive oil and sprinkle breadcrumbs around the dish. Add the potato mixture to the dish and smooth over the top.
- Top with breadcrumbs and drizzle over olive oil.
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the top is golden and it is heated through.
