Mashed Potato Pie

This is a Italian-version of Mashed Potato Pie. It is a comforting and hearty dish that combines creamy mashed potatoes with a flavorful filling made of prosciutto cotto, hard boiled eggs and mozzarella. The mashed potatoes act as both the base and the topping, with a golden, slightly crispy crust formed when baked in the oven. Variations can include vegetarian fillings with sautéed mushrooms, lentils, or mixed vegetables. The result is a warm, rich meal that makes a perfect cozy dinner or family gathering. It’s a versatile dish, easy to customize and always satisfying.

Mashed Potato Pie Ingredients

Ingredients to Cook the Potatoes

• 3 pounds Potatoes, peeled and chopped (1.4Kg)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Water, enough to cover all the potatoes

Ingredients to Make the Potato Layer

• ½ cup unsalted butter (100g)
• ¼ cup Milk
• 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste – for me it was 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, but adjust it to your own taste

Other ingredients for the Layers

• 3 Hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 5 oz. Prosciutto cotto , sliced (150g) – Ham or Mortadella would also taste great
• 2 Mozzarellas, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons Breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup Shredded Parmesan or Pecorino (30g)

How to Make the Best Mashed Potato Pie

Making the potato base

1. Start by removing the skin, washing under water and cutting the potatoes into smaller pieces of similar sizes. In a large pot on high heat, add potatoes, cold water and salt. The best is to add cold water together with the potatoes and let the water boil in the pot. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes for 20 minutes.
2. When the potatoes are done. Drain the water and mash them with a potato press (as if you were to make mashed potatoes).
3. In the same pot you cooked the potatoes, place the mashed potatoes back. Add the butter, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix it well. Adjust salt and pepper as per your taste.
4. The potato base for the pie is ready.
5. While the potato is cooking, make sure to remove the butter from the fridge.

Prepare the fillings

1. In parallel, we can prepare the boiled eggs. Make tiny holes into the eggs with an egg picker. Boil water (enough to cover the eggs) and once the water is boiling, carefully add the eggs into the pot. You can reduce the heat to medium after the water starts boiling. Cook it for 8-9 minutes. The idea is to have hard boiled eggs at the end. When the time is up, remove one egg at a time from the pot and put them under cold water for 10 seconds.
2. When the egg is cold enough to be handled by hand, remove the shells, cut into slices and reserve.

Create the layers of the pie

1. Start pre-heating the oven at 350°F (180°C).
2. At the bottom of your baking trey, add a bit of butter, so the potato layer won’t stick so much to it.
3. Add ⅓ of the mashed potatoes. Use a spatula or a spoon to help you spread it evenly and smooth.
4. First add half of the prosciutto cotto layer.
5. Then one sliced mozzarellas. Then one and a half sliced boiled eggs. I normally add as pinch of black pepper and salt on top of the eggs, completely optional.
6. On top of the eggs, make another layer of mashed potatoes.
7. Add the other half of the prosciutto cotto, mozzarella and egg.
8. Add the final layer of mashed potatoes. On top, sprinkle the parmesan cheese and the breadcrumbs.
9. Bake it for 20 minutes without cover. Then another 15 minutes with the grill function on the top at 390°F (200°C).
10. The mashed potato pie is ready. it pairs well with a green salad.

Recipe Tips

• Use starchy potatoes. Choose russet or Yukon Gold potatoes for a fluffy and creamy texture.
• Don’t overmix the potatoes when mashing it. Use a manual potato masher tool, not a blender. This is very important to void a gluey texture.