serves
4
prep
10 minutes
cook
30 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
30
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
"When my mother arrived in Australia aged 22, she couldn't really cook. She had worked front-of-house in her parents' bars, but they always had a cook. Having an Istrian husband, who lived for good food, proved to be somewhat of a challenge. He was not adventurous in the kitchen; a whiff of something that was foreign to him and he wouldn't even try it. He craved dishes that reminded him of home. Luckily they had a network of friends who were mainly from Istria, and my mother learned to cook from these Istrian ladies: Gemma, Jolanda, Maria, Alba and Emma. She perfected a handful of dishes that made my father very happy, and one of them was this – patate in tecia, which literally means 'potatoes in the pan'."
Ingredients
- 750 g mashing potatoes (such as King william, Desiree, Dutch cream)
- sea salt
- 1 large onion, about 280 g
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) good-quality extra virgin olive oil
Serves 4 as a side dish.
Instructions
- Wash and peel the potatoes, then cut into large chunks. Place them in a saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil slowly, add a good pinch of salt, then cook for 10–15 minutes, until the potato is fork-tender but still whole. The cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes.
- While the potato is cooking, cut the onion into 2–3 mm thick rings, then cut the rings in half, into semi-circles. Pour the olive oil into a saucepan large enough to fit the potato; it should thickly cover the base. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook over medium–low heat for about 25 minutes, or until the onion is lightly caramelised and pale golden.
- Drain the potato well, reserving a little of the cooking water in case the potato becomes too dry. Stir the potato through the caramelised onion, mashing roughly with a fork; the potato should start breaking apart. You don't want a smooth purée – having the occasional small potato chunk is part of the charm of this dish. Add some of the reserved potato cooking water if it looks a bit dry, stirring well, until you are happy with the consistency. Season with salt to taste.
- Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
Istria: Recipes and stories from the hidden heart of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia by Paola Bacchia, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $55.00). Photography by Paola Bacchia.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
"When my mother arrived in Australia aged 22, she couldn't really cook. She had worked front-of-house in her parents' bars, but they always had a cook. Having an Istrian husband, who lived for good food, proved to be somewhat of a challenge. He was not adventurous in the kitchen; a whiff of something that was foreign to him and he wouldn't even try it. He craved dishes that reminded him of home. Luckily they had a network of friends who were mainly from Istria, and my mother learned to cook from these Istrian ladies: Gemma, Jolanda, Maria, Alba and Emma. She perfected a handful of dishes that made my father very happy, and one of them was this – patate in tecia, which literally means 'potatoes in the pan'."
