Ukrainian Grated Potato Bake

Posted by Olga at recipegoldmine.com 3/21/2002 10:49 am

A potato pudding that is tender and airy inside and crispy on the outside. Serve with sour cream, sauté ed onions, or lingonberry preserves.

1/4 pound sliced bacon, diced
2 large onions, finely chopped
3 pounds new potatoes, peeled
1 cup light cream or half-and-half
3 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 large egg whites
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Sauté the bacon in a medium-size skillet over medium heat until it renders its fat. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add the onions and sauté , stirring occasionally, over medium heat until deeply colored, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Grate the potatoes coarsely by hand or in a food processor using a coarse grating blade. Wash in several changes of water. Squeeze the potatoes well in a clean linen or cotton kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible. Rinse and squeeze again.

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the potatoes, sauté ed onions, bacon, cream, and egg yolks. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into the potato mixture, using a rubber spatula. Carefully transfer the mixture to a well-buttered round 10-inch baking dish or heavy oven proof skillet. Dot the top with butter.

Bake until the top is browned and crispy and potatoes are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Serves 6 to 8.