Potato Pie Recipe. Chicken Variation
Moroccan Potato Pie
This is a great favorite in our Moroccan cuisine. This rustic dish (called Amhammar in Arabic) is a good example of how we make something rich (eggs) or starchy (potatoes) go a long way. Consider it an eggy cousin of the Ashkenazi Kugel: One big happy egg dish family! I just love the idea of expanding your repertoire of egg-centric main course options. Think frittata or omelette too!
Do not be alarmed by the number of eggs used
This delicious potato pie will serve eight to ten people generously for main course. When you consider this, then ten eggs and three large potatoes sound quite reasonable, and low-carb.
Planning a picnic?
Potato pie is great at room temperature too! Even in sandwiches , on cut into cubes as hors d’œuvres.
The traditional way of making this potato pie is by heating a good amount of vegetable oil in a deep heavy pot with straight sides. We then add the batter all at once in the pot, cook it at low temperature on the stovetop, and finish it in the oven.
It Looks Like Cake!
The potato pie grows and grows and develops a gorgeous golden crust:
The oil gets thoroughly drained off, and the pie gets inverted onto a serving platter and cut in wedges. Recently I have found a very streamlined way to make it, which saves me the heating of the oil, the draining and unmolding. Easier and just as delicious!
I also save the step of boiling and dicing the potatoes by grating them raw directly in the batter.
Preserved Lemon
The preserved lemon is the trademark here. It will make the difference between a decent dish (guaranteed, that, it is!) and a great dish: big difference! Still if you don’t have it on hand, no problem settling for lemon zest.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 10 eggs
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (or 1 bunch Swiss chard, ribs and leaves), minced
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- ½ preserved lemon, skin only, rinsed and minced (settle for 2 tablespoons lemon zest)
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper, or less to taste
- Salt to taste (careful: the preserved lemon is salty, you might not even need any)
- Good pinch nutmeg
- 1 cup total frozen corn, carrots, and peas, optional
- 2 large potatoes, peeled
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 10-inch ovenproof skillet with straight sides. Mix all but last remaining ingredient in a bowl and combine thoroughly. Only then, grate the potatoes and immediately stir them in the mixture, so as not to give them any time to oxidize. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden and puffy, but not longer so the egg mixture doesn't toughen. Makes 8 main course servings.
Variation on Potato Pie: Moroccan Chicken Pie GF, P
No potatoes: 2–3 cups cooked chicken, coarsely ground or minced, and 1 large slice bread, gluten-free OK, soaked in water, broth, or dairy-free milk (Passover: replace the slice bread with 1/3 cup potato starch). Proceed exactly as above.
Stovetop Potato Pie
If you would rather not start your oven, or hot days or on having baking traffic days, or even when you are on the road with no oven at your disposal, make it on the stovetop!
Use the 1/3 cup oil listed in the ingredient list to pour in a nonstick skillet. Heat the skillet until nice and hot, then pour the batter slowly and evenly in the skillet. Now reduce the flame to medium-low, cover and cook about 30 minutes. Check the top of the pie: it should be barely firm. The top of the pie will not form a crust like the baked pie will, but the pie will be every bit as delicious this way.
I am from Morocco. The dish was always called “Amhammaer” never tortilla. My Mom made it at least once a week. Loved it. I am making it today for a large gathering “Senior luncheon”, I am also making a salad of beets and home made Moroccan bread (Quesra). Can’t wait for lunch.
amhammar is not the right moroccan word for potato pie, is it? this is the word for roasted meat in the oven, i believe! one that has a red color. i think this pie is called tortilla
Alison, Amhammar just means “Roasted until golden”. By extension, we always called this dish Amhammar. In other words, if you just say Amhammar without specifying what (meat, poultry fish etc) it will follow that you mean THIS particular dish.
can I use frozen Hash Brown Potatoes? If so, how much?
Cute Chic, I beg you please don’t.
Levana, the reply was given with such kindness of restraint and I can imagine the pain it caused. I know that there are probably uses to be found for frozen shredded potatoes but texture and flavor is never the same. Ever. Simply take a large holed cheese shredder and move the arm. Potatoes are lush…fresh is divine….and so simple.
Kim I just shred them in a food processor. About 10 seconds total.
yummm very tasty
Larisa You’ll love it!
Thanks for the recipe