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1
Place the kale and potatoes together in a large pot of salted water. Bring to the boil and cook until both are very soft and offer no resistance when pressed. Drain thoroughly in a colander, pressing down firmly to expel all moisture — the mass must be as dry as possible before mashing.
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2
Mash the kale and potato together coarsely. Do not work to a smooth purée — some texture must remain visible and felt in the mass. Season with salt.
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3
Melt pork fat in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. If using the bacon method, crisp the strips first in the pan, then lift them out and reserve, leaving the rendered fat behind. Add the mash to the pan and press it firmly into a single cake that fills the base of the pan.
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4
This is where the dish lives or dies: do not move the cake. Allow it to fry undisturbed for 10 to 12 minutes until a deep brown crust has formed on the underside. The cake should release cleanly from the pan when a spatula is slid beneath it — if it resists, it is not ready.
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5
Slide the cake onto a plate, then invert it back into the pan to fry the second side for a further 10 to 12 minutes until equally caramelised and firm. The finished cake should be deeply bronzed on both sides and hold its shape when lifted.
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6
Lay the crisped bacon or panceta strips across the top of the cake. Serve immediately from the pan while the crust remains audibly crisp at the edges.