Greek potato pie patatopita with feta Recipe
Patatopita is a rustic Greek pie made from potatoes and cheese, baked in a large tray and cut into squares. In mountain regions it was a way to use simple ingredients when meat was eaten rarely. Today it works perfectly as a filling meatless lunch or a warm snack for a gathering at the table.
A simple, rustic Greek dish that turns basic pantry ingredients into a fragrant, golden pie. The combination of grated potatoes, salty feta and herbs gives a lot of flavor without using meat, and baking in a large tray makes it perfect for feeding a crowd.
Chef's tips
Use floury potatoes – they give a better texture and the pie holds together more easily. Don’t squeeze out all the potato liquid; a bit of moisture helps keep the inside soft. Watch the salt, because feta is quite salty on its own. If the top browns too quickly, cover the dish loosely with baking paper towards the end of baking.
How to serve
Serve cut into large squares as a main dish with a fresh salad and a slice of crusty bread. For a buffet or party, cut into bite-sized pieces and serve on a board with olives and a simple yogurt-garlic dip. It’s also good cold in a lunchbox.
Ingredients
- potatoes peeled, preferably floury - 900 g
- onion medium - 2 pieces
- feta cheese crumbled - 200 g
- egg - 3 pieces
- milk 2% is fine - 120 ml
- olive oil plus a little for greasing the pan - 60 ml
- wheat flour - 3 tablespoons
- baking powder - 1 teaspoon
- parsley chopped leaves - 3 tablespoons
- salt to taste, carefully because feta is salty - 0.75 teaspoons
- black pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
- butter for greasing the pan, can be replaced with olive oil - 10 g
- breadcrumbs for dusting the pan - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Grease a rectangular baking dish about 20×30 cm with butter or olive oil and dust with breadcrumbs so the pie doesn’t stick.
- Peel the potatoes, rinse them and grate on the coarse side of a grater into a large bowl. If they release a lot of water, gently squeeze them with your hands or through a sieve, but not completely – some juice can remain.
- Peel the onions and grate them on the fine side of a grater or chop very finely. Add to the potatoes and mix.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, then add the olive oil, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Whisk with a whisk or fork until there are no flour lumps.
- Add the crumbled feta and chopped parsley to the egg mixture and mix lightly.
- Combine the egg-and-cheese mixture with the potatoes and onion. Mix thoroughly with a spoon so everything is evenly combined. The consistency should be thick but spreadable.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spoon. Gently tap the dish on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 45–50 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and the center is springy when lightly pressed with a spoon.
- After baking, remove the pie from the oven and leave it for at least 10–15 minutes to set slightly – it will be easier to cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Storage
Wystudzony placek przechowuj w lodówce, najlepiej już pokrojony, w szczelnym pojemniku. Możesz zamrozić pojedyncze porcje owinięte folią – przed podaniem rozmroź w lodówce i podgrzej w piekarniku 10–15 minut w 180°C.
