Potato “Gatto” (Cake)
4 pounds baking potatoes, peeled & cubed
4 eggs
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ pound salami cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 cup peas, thawed
3 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 pound mozzarella, cut into cubes or grated
½ cup fresh bread crumbs, toasted
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
Fill a large pot with water and add the potatoes, bring to a boil, simmer until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes well, then pass through a food mill or potato ricer. While the potatoes are warm, combine the eggs, ricotta, cheeses, salami, peas and parsley. Stir just enough to evenly mix.
Butter a 10-12-inch springform pan with butter and dust with some of the breadcrumbs. Spoon half of the potato mixture into the pan. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the potato mixture. Spoon the remaining potato mixture over carefully, and smooth with a wet spatula. Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs.
At this point you can make the day ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Place in a 450-dgree oven and cook 30 minutes, until light golden brown on top. Remove from oven, let stand 15 minutes, unmold and serve in slices.
