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Pastel de papa
Layered potato and cheese bake
Pastel de papa: Arequipa's layered potato bake set with egg, milk and melting cheese
On a plate in an Arequipa picantería, pastel de papa is the soft, golden square that sits next to a fiery rocoto relleno and cools your mouth between bites. Thin slices of parboiled potato are layered with fresh cheese and a seasoned egg and evaporated-milk custard, then baked until the top puffs and browns. It is richer and more set than a French gratin, firm enough to cut cleanly, and it makes a fine vegetarian main with a salad of tomato and onion or a spoon of uchucuta. The way it goes wrong is slicing the potatoes too thick or under-boiling them, which leaves them crunchy while the custard overcooks; cut them 3–4 mm thin and parboil them just until bendy. Arequipa cooks use paria or queso fresco, which are normally made with animal rennet; a vegetarian melting cheese such as a microbial-rennet mozzarella or mild cheddar works well. Chef's tip: let the bake rest for 15 minutes after it leaves the oven so the custard settles and the slices hold.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb potatoesa floury or all-round variety, peeled
- 1 ½ tsp saltplus extra for the water
- ⅔ oz butterfor the dish
- 9 oz queso frescoor paria cheese, crumbled or grated; traditionally made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian melting cheese if needed
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups evaporated milk
- 1 tbsp ají amarillo pasteor 1 tsp mild chilli flakes
- ¼ tsp nutmegfreshly grated
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp parsley (optional)chopped, to serve
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and grease a 20 × 30 cm baking dish with ⅔ oz butter.
Step 2: Cut 2 ⅝ lb potatoes into 3–4 mm slices. Boil them in salted water for 4–5 minutes, until just bendy but not breaking, then drain carefully and spread them out to steam dry.
8 minStep 3: Whisk 4 eggs, 1 ¾ cups evaporated milk, 1 tbsp ají amarillo paste, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp white pepper and 1 ½ tsp salt in a jug until smooth.
Step 4: Lay a third of the potato slices in the dish, overlapping like roof tiles. Scatter with half of 6 oz queso fresco, add another third of the potatoes and scatter the rest of that cheese over.
Step 5: Finish with the last of the potatoes and spread 3 oz queso fresco over the top.
Step 6: Pour the custard slowly over the layers, letting it trickle down between them. Press the top gently with a spatula so the potatoes sit under the liquid.
Step 7: Bake for 35–40 minutes, until puffed, set in the centre when the dish is jiggled and deep golden on top. A knife pushed into the middle should come out without runny egg.
40 minStep 8: Rest for 15 minutes, scatter with 2 tbsp parsley if you like, then cut into squares.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pastel de papa take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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