Smashed potatoes with onion and olive oil (Patate in tecia)

Cooked potatoes are roughly smashed into onion that has been cooked slowly in plenty of olive oil. It is a deceptively simple dish, but very, very good.

Smashed potatoes with onion and olive oil (Patate in tecia) Credit: Paola Bacchia

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

"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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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'."