Sausage and Potato Pie (Abruzzo)

Appetizers

Ingredients

Floury white potatoes - 3 - 3 1/2 pounds

Salt

Butter

Lukewarm milk - 2 1/2 cups

Grated parmesan cheese - 5 tbsps

Freshly grated nutmeg

Pepper

Italian sausages - 6

Wash the potatoes and cook them in their jackets in boiling, salted water until soft. Drain and peel them, and rub them through a potato ricer or sieve. Add 3 tbsps butter, the milk, cheese and salt., freshly grated nutmeg and a little freshly ground pepper to taste. Mix well and beat until fluffy. Skin the sausages, crumble the meat and cook in  small pan over a low heat without any additional fat for 15 minutes. Mix into the potato.

Generously butter a deep baking dish and fill it with the potato and sausage mixture. Bake in a moderate oven (375F)  for about 20 minutes, or until a golden brown crust has formed on top.

Serves 6