This recipe was born in Naples towards the end of the 18th century, under Ferdinand I of Bourbon. His wife, Maria Carolina, adored French cuisine and often entrusted her cooking to French chefs. Little by little, the Neapolitans transformed the recipe, adapting it to the delicacies of the area, replacing Gruyere with fiordilatte and cured meats with cooked ham. And soon, the French term “gateau” was replaced by the more dialectal “gattò“.
The gattò, is a very tasty rustic flan, made with a dough based on boiled potatoes, crushed and mixed with eggs, milk and cheese, to which cooked ham and provolone cheese are added; once the mixture has been transferred to the pan and dusted with breadcrumbs and butter, the gattò is cooked in the oven.
The taste is wonderful: soft and creamy texture surrounded by a golden and crunchy crust. Truly an irresistible and succulent dish!
Ingredients
Steps
– boil the whole potatoes into abundant unsalted water till they become soft (around 35/40 minutes);
– drain the potato and allow to cool down, then remove the skin;
– mash the potatoes over a large bowl;
– add the eggs and mix well;
– add the grounded spices and the pinch of salt, mix well;
– chop the garlic, the ham and the cheese into small cubes, then add them to the potato dough;
– mix everything well, then pour the dough onto a greased baking tray (26×20);
– dust the top of the gattò with bread crumbs and them with butter flakes;
– bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 35 minutes or till golden;
Varied doses for servings