Potato and Cheese Pie (Abruzzo)

Appetizers

Ingredients:

Waxy potatoes - 1 pound

Salt and pepper

Oil or lard for frying

Flour 

Eggs- 2

Butter - 6 tbsps

Scamorza or mozzerella cheese, sliced - 3/4 pound

Sliced parma ham, cut into thin strips - 1/4 pound

Grated parmesan - 4 tbsps

Wash the potatoes and drop them, without peeling, into a pan of boiling salted water. Cook them steadily until soft. Take from the pan, cool, peel and cut into medium thick slices.

Bring plenty of oilive oil or lard to a boil in a deep frying pan. Coat the potato slices with flour, then dip them into the eggs, lightly beaten with a little salt. Fry in hot oil until crisp and brown, and drain thoroughly on absorbant paper. Sprinkle with salt.

Lightly grease a baking dish with butter and arrange the potatoes in it in layers. Cover with the sliced cheese, sprinkle generously with salt and freshly ground pepper and dot with thin slivers of butter, using half the remaining quantity. Bake in a moderate oven (375F) for 20 mins or until cheese is melted.

Take the dish from the oven, cover with strips of ham and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Melt the remaining butter and sprinkle it over top. Serve at once.

Serves 6