A big potato pie, one of my grandmother’s favorites. She made this in a big cast-iron skillet, usually without butter, but it is better this way and can usually be made a couple of hours before eating; it remains quite crisp. Serve to a crowd, along with a stew or roast.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 or more servings

　　3 to 4 pounds baking potatoes, peeled

　　1 large onion

　　3 eggs

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, preferably homemade (page 580), matzo meal, or flour, or as needed

　　2 tablespoons butter

　　2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　

Step 1

Grate the potatoes and onion on a box grater or with the grating disk of a food processor; if the mixture is very moist, drain in a colander or strainer for a minute.

　　

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the salt, pepper, and bread crumbs. Stir in the potatoes and onion. The mixture should just barely hold together if you pinch a bit; if it does not, add a few more bread crumbs.

　　

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Put the butter and oil in a 12-inch nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts and bubbles, pour the batter into it. Cook for a minute or two, then transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until nicely browned on the bottom; slide the cake out onto a plate (it will hold together). Cover with another plate, then invert the plates. Slide the pie back into the pan, cooked side up, and return to the oven until the bottom is brown; this will take only 10 minutes or so. Remove from the skillet and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.