Val di Non, Trentino
A griddle-cooked potato cake from the Val di Non in Trentino: grated raw potato, squeezed of excess starch, seasoned with salt and sometimes a little flour, pressed into a hot larded pan and cooked on both sides until golden. Served with Speck Alto Adige, Trentino mountain cheese (Vezzena or Casolet), and pickled gherkins. Tortel di patate is the Trentine equivalent of Swiss rösti or Tyrolean Erdäpfelpuffer — the Alpine potato pancake tradition.
Shatteringly crisp exterior, yielding starchy interior — a canvas for the smoky Speck and firm mountain cheese of the Trentino Alps
{"Floury potato varieties only (Agria, Bintje) — waxy potatoes don't achieve the right texture","Grate on the coarse grater; squeeze in a cloth extremely dry — any excess moisture prevents crisping","No egg in the traditional version — the potato starch is the binder; it sets on contact with heat","Cast iron or heavy steel pan, well-greased with lard, screaming hot before adding potato","Press flat to 1cm; cook undisturbed 6–8 min each side — resist the urge to flip early"}
{"A small amount of grated onion in the potato mix adds sweetness and depth","For individual portions (the restaurant format), use a metal ring mould in the pan","The traditional accompaniment — pickled gherkins — is not decorative; the acid is necessary to cut the fat"}
{"Inadequate squeezing — wet potato steams instead of crisping","Non-stick thin pan — insufficient heat retention for even crisping","Adding egg — the additional moisture defeats the crispness"}
Cucina Trentina — Matteo Manzoni