Nothing says home cookin' like mashed potatoes. For a "new" spin try the classic rustic Italian recipe of Potato & Cabbage Mash (Lesso di Patae e Cavolo Verza) by adding cabbage to boost the flavor. You can't get any more simplistic - a perfect example of cucina povera or peasant cooking. This dish goes great with stews, roasts and chicken.
We grow kilos & kilos of potatoes and rows of cabbages so we eat this all winter long!
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| pounds of freshly dug-up potatoes from the garden |
Potato & Cabbage Mash
Lesso di patate e cavolo
1 head of savoy cabbage or cavolo verza, rinsed, cored & chopped
3-4 medium potatoes, (I grow & use Yukon Gold but use what you like)
2-3 glugs of olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic
salt & pepper
Bring a large pot of water up to a boil with a healthy pinch of salt.
Place cabbage in boiling water 8-10 minutes until extremely soft. Remove cabbage from water & set in colander, draining excess water.
In the same pot bring the water back to a boil, then toss in your potatoes with the skins-on. Cook until a knife slides into the potato easily (just like you would for mashed tatters), remove from boiling water & allow to cool slightly. Then peel potatoes once you can handle them.
In a large frying pan on med-low heat slowly heat oil, rough chop your garlic & add it to the pan. Saute for moment or two without burning or becoming brown. Then begin adding your potatoes to the pan, smashing them with a fork, incorporating the garlic & oil.
Give your cabbage a squeeze to remove some of the excess water, add the cabbage to the pan & continue smashing the cabbage with the back of the fork until the two are incorporated.
Taste. Season with salt & pepper, add another drizzle of olive oil if it seems dry.
Serve.
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| cavolo verza from our garden |
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