Italian Ham & Cheese Pie With Potatoes
This Italian ham and cheese pie with potatoes is the perfect Christmas family dinner recipe to make and share with your loved ones. Imagine baking it on Christmas Eve. You can enjoy it as a starter or your main meal if you are having a lowkey night. It’s equally perfect for a Winter dinner, served with a side of soup, or if you want to balance the calories, you can serve it with a side salad.
Speaking of calories, this is one of those higher calorie recipes, because of the rich pie. So I suggest you divide this in 4 portions, and enjoy one. Any leftovers, can be reheated in the oven and enjoyed the next day. You can also eat it for lunch at work. It’s also delicious out of the fridge.
Now that you know how to serve it and how much, let’s get making it, shall we?
Ham and Cheese FAQ
What do Italians call this pie?
Torta di prosciutto e formaggio con patate is the general Italian name for this pie. However, different regions may call it in different ways. For example, in Sicily we call it scacciata di patate con prosciutto e formaggio. But if we were making scacciata pastry, we would be making our dough from scratch. And that dough has a more bready pizza consistency than in this recipe.
What type of ham should be used for an Italian ham and cheese pie?
A fresh Italian ham, such as Prosciutto di Parma, would be ideal for this recipe. However, any high-quality cooked ham can be used if Italian ham isn’t readily available.
Which types of cheese go into this pie?
The beauty of this pie recipe is that you can quickly change it by using a semi soft regional cheese. We are using provola, although I also suggest scamorza, because they have a great in between consistency and give a lot of flavour. If you can’t find those, a combination of hard mozzarella and Parmesan are fine. But feel free to experiment with other cheeses that you enjoy.
Can I use a ready-made pie crust?
Yes, you certainly can use a pre-made pie crust. That’s what we are doing. This can save time and still delivers a delicious result. However, if you enjoy baking, making your own pie crust can add a personal touch to the pie.
Is there a specific type of pastry that should be used?
Typically, a shortcrust or puff pastry is used for this type of pie. The choice depends on your personal preference between a firm or a flaky crust. Brisee pastry is closer to a shortcrust and is less butter than puff pastry. Us Italians, don’t like our pastries to be very buttery.
What should I serve with the Italian ham and cheese pie?
This pie would go well with a simple green salad, a side of roasted vegetables, or a bowl of soup for a heartier meal.
Can I prepare the pie in advance?
Yes, the pie can be assembled a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the pie and bake it at a later date. We haven’t tried it as in Italy we prefer enjoying our food fresh as much as possible.
How should leftovers be stored?
Any leftover pie should be covered and refrigerated. It will keep for about 2-3 days. To reheat, warm in the oven until the cheese is melted and the pie is heated through.
Easy Italian Ham and Cheese Pie Recipe
Now that we’ve answered all your potential questions, get your recipe and start baking this tasty dinner.
Italian Ham and Cheese Pie with Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 chopping board
- 1 chopping knife
- 1 potato peeler
- 1 baking dish
- baking paper
- 1 tablespoon
- 1 fork
Ingredients
- 500 gr Brisee pastry or 2 rolled sheets or your favourite pie pastry. We are using ready-made pie, but you can make your own, if you prefer.
- 3 medium potatoes pre-boiled and cooled
- Fresh Italian Cotto ham from the counter 6 slices
- 100 gr Scamorza or Provola cheese 8 large slices
- Italian tomato passata a few dollops
- salt, pepper and oregano
- Belmorso Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 onion optional
- 40 gr Parmesan cheese pre-grated
Instructions
- Pre-boil the potatoes for 10 minutes, depending on their size, with or without the skin. You can peel it later. You want them to be semi-cooked but not so soft they break. They will continue cooking in the oven.
- Add the parchment paper to your baking dish, if you want, and layer one roll of pastry dough.
- You can use pie weights and blind bake it for 10 mins in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius. This step is optional, but I like to do it to let the pie bottom cook from the inside.
- Take the pie out of the oven, and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Peel and slice your potatoes, and add one layer on top of the pie crust you just baked.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add dollops of tomato passata, but don't coat it or it will be too runny.
- Season with oregano and drizzle some Belmorso EVOO, about a tablespoons or 2.
- Top with the scamorza or provola cheese slices.
- Then layer the Italian cotto ham slices.
- Finish with the pre-grated parmesan cheese.
- Cover your Italian ham and cheese pie with the second roll of pie pastry.
- Use a fork to fold the sides neatly, and to punch a few holes on the top of the pie. This will help it cook on the inside.
- You can bake your pie in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. I suggest using a lower level of the oven for the first 20 minutes, and then transferring to the top so it can take some colour and crunch up.
- Take out of the oven and serve. Since it's a high calorie recipe, I suggest one quarter each. You can serve with a salad, roasted vegetables, or a side of soup.
Notes
Other Italian Pie Recipes On The Blog
If you like cooking with shortcrust pastry, check out these other two recipes.
