You’ll need a cast iron pan for this, but if you don’t already own one, I think they are a kitchen essential. I make everything from cornbread to frittata to bacon in mine. The more you use them, the better they get. This dish is quickly becoming a family favorite around here. You can serve it for breakfast (hash browns), a quick lunch, or a dinner side dish. I like that kind of versatility!
Yield: 8 wedges
-3 russet potatoes
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 bunch scallions, sliced
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-2 teaspoons salt, plus more for finishing
-8 grinds of pepper
-3 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to broil.
Fit a colander into a large bowl and line with a tea towel. Set aside.
Rinse and peel the potatoes. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the potatoes. You’ll need to work relatively fast so they don’t discolor too much. Place the grated potatoes into the tea towel, close it around the potatoes, and twist to squeeze out as much liquid as you can. When the potatoes are as dry as you can get them, place them in a clean bowl and add the garlic, most of the scallions (save a tablespoon for garnish), olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss with your fingers until everything is evenly distributed.
In a 9-inch cast iron pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter on medium-high heat. Add the potato mixture and spread it out to the edges. Gently compress the whole thing to encourage the starch in the potatoes to knit back together. Cook for about 10 minutes until the edges start to become translucent, and when you lift the edges, it comes up as a cake and is deliciously brown underneath. At that point, dot the remaining butter on top and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Watch closely, as it can easily go from brown to charred black in a minute or two. Remove from the oven and slide out of the cast iron onto a serving dish. Sprinkle with salt and reserved scallions, cut into wedges and serve. Enjoy!