AI-generated image
Dibbelabbes
Potato and leek hash
Dibbelabbes (Schales): Saarland grated potato and leek hash from the cast-iron pan
Dibbelabbes takes its name from the Saarland words for a pot (Dibbe) and to lick out (abbes), because the crisp crust stuck to the cast-iron pan is the best part. Families around Saarlouis and Merzig make it on cold evenings: raw grated potatoes, leek and onion cooked slowly in a heavy pan and turned now and then until golden chunks form all through. Traditionally smoked bacon or Dörrfleisch goes in; this version keeps it vegetarian with a little smoked paprika. Apple sauce and a green salad go alongside. Stirring too often is the mistake; the crust needs time to form. Chef's tip: cook it in the oven in a cast-iron casserole for an even, deep crust with less work.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the Dibbelabbes
- 2 ⅝ lb starchy potatoespeeled
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 leekfinely sliced
- 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp parsleychopped
- 7 oz apple sauce, to serve (optional)optional
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Finely grate 2 ⅝ lb starchy potatoes, tip into a tea towel and squeeze out about half the liquid; it should still be moist, not dry.
10 minStep 2: Mix with 1 onion, 1 leek, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and 1 pinch ground nutmeg.
3 minStep 3: Heat 4 tbsp rapeseed oil in a large cast-iron pan or casserole over a medium heat until it shimmers. Spread the potato in an even layer.
5 minStep 4: Cook for 40–45 minutes, leaving it alone for 8–10 minutes at a time until a golden crust forms underneath, then scraping and turning it in big pieces. Add a little more oil if it sticks hard. It is done when it is mostly golden brown and no raw potato taste remains.
45 minStep 5: Scatter with 2 tbsp parsley and serve straight from the pan with 7 oz apple sauce, to serve.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 350 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dibbelabbes take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of starchy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Black bean tacos with lime slaw
Proof that a meat-free taco night can be the best one. The beans are mashed with chipotle and cumin so they hold together in the tortilla, and a quick lime slaw adds crunch.
Mexican
Caramelised clay-pot tofu and mushroomsBraised tofu and mushrooms
Kho is the slow braise of the Mekong Delta: food simmered in a little clay pot (nồi đất) with dark caramel and seasoning until the sauce is sticky and the flavours go deep. This vegetarian cousin of cá kho tộ (braised fish) uses golden tofu and meaty mushrooms in place of fish, cooked in coconut water, as cooks do in the south, and finished with plenty of black pepper. Serve it bubbling in its pot with steamed rice and a sour soup or plain boiled vegetables. Chef's tip: take the caramel (nước màu) to a deep mahogany, darker than you think, just before it smokes; pale caramel only tastes sweet, while dark caramel gives the bittersweet, smoky flavour of a real kho.
Vietnamese
Pfälzer SaumagenStuffed pig's stomach
Saumagen is the pride of the Palatinate, served at wine-village festivals and family dinners from the Haardt hills to Ludwigshafen. A cleaned pig's stomach is stuffed with diced pork shoulder, pork sausage meat, potato and carrot seasoned with marjoram and nutmeg, poached slowly, then sliced thick and fried until crusty. The stomach works only as a casing and is ordered from a butcher; if you can't get one, bake the same filling in a covered terrine in a water bath. Serve with sauerkraut and mashed potato. Chef's tip: fill the stomach only three-quarters full, or it bursts as the potatoes swell.
