Melissa-Smith Here come the potatoes again!
So, I’ve been on a potato kick for St. Patrick’s Day this month, but am inexplicably bored with the typical baked and/or boiled variety. My husband has a running joke that Irish cuisine is just like any other cuisine, except they beat all the flavor out of the food by boiling the ingredients into submission. Don’t get me wrong, boiled potatoes definitely have their place and can be quite delicious! But I like to play with my food a little too much to keep it at that. (see Black Pepper & Chive Potato Focaccia)
St. Patty’s Day Dinner
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We’ll be having the most classically delicious Corned Beef for dinner on Wednesday and I thought I would shake things up a bit with the side dish.
Now, I have to be careful with my experimentation. My family is true Irish-American and loves the traditional fare! As they should because it’s so delicious. I’ve gotta keep things pretty classic but flex my creative muscle a bit. Sweet potatoes? Too much. Scalloped potatoes? We’re getting there… maybe I do a sort of Scalloped Potato, throw it in a flaky pie crust with some cheese and bacon and toss in some herbs? (They are green after all!) Oh yes. Yum!
Porcelain Pie Dish, 6.7inch Ceramic Pie Pan, 2 packs Pie Plates, Non-Stick Round Baking Dishes, Blue Pie Tins with Ruffled Edge,Reactive Glaze for Dessert Cake Pizza Dessert, Straw Yellow – SIDUCALIrish Potato Pie
To start, I made a pretty typical pie dough and lined two medium sized deep dish pie pans for the bottom crust. (You can do one large if you want as well.) Then, I sautéed some diced bacon in a skillet with a nice pat of butter and added chopped onions to sweat down a bit. Once those are cooked down, I threw in chopped fresh dill and thinly sliced potatoes to get completely coated in the fat. This helps the potatoes cook evenly once they’re in the oven.
Now to fill the pies! Layering the potatoes by hand is the best way to get the ingredients evenly distributed. Add about half the potato mixture, then sprinkle in a thick layer of grated smoked gouda. To finish, layer the rest of the potato mixture in the pie shell and pour a good helping of half and half over each pie. Don’t be shy here. I filled it almost to the top layer, to really soak into the potatoes and add some nice moisture.
Checkered Chef Cooling Racks For Baking – Quarter Size – Stainless Steel Cooling Rack/Baking Rack Set of 2 – Oven Safe Wire Racks Fit Quarter Sheet Pan – Small Grid Perfect To Cool and BakeThen, bake these little cuties get in the oven at 350F for 35-45 minutes. I like to bake a pie like this on the bottom rack of the oven to make sure the bottom crust gets really crunchy and golden brown. You’ll know it’s ready when the top is brown and the potatoes feel cooked through when poked with a knife.
Check out the full video below
The Irish Potato Pie is like a Scalloped Potato meets Pot Pie. It has this crispy, crunchy crust that’s filled to the brim with creamy potatoes. The hint of smoke you get from the cheese is just enough to enhance the savory bacon. And the dill? It mellows all that hefty filling to be a dish you can dive into with no regrets.
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, Pre-Seasoned with Silicone Hot Handle Holder , 10.25 Inch Dia, Black/Red Silicone (L8SK3ASHH41B)You can definitely make this Irish Potato Pie ahead of time and then reheat to serve. The potato filling stays perfectly moist and the crust ridiculously crunchy! OR layer it up and bring it to your family’s house to bake. Anyways, you’ll need some time to indulge on a Guinness or two before dinner!
I’ll let you know if I’ve brought the Irish joy next week!
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Irish Potato Pie
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: Two 6 inch pies or one 9 inch pie 1x
Description
This recipe is a great potato dish to serve on St. Patrick’s Day. Hearty and filling, the smoked gouda and bacon add depth, while the fresh dill brings a note of freshness. Wonderful served as a side or the main event.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 4 ounces or 1 stick cold butter
- 1/2 tablespoon vinegar
- 2.25 ounces cold water (or 1/4 cup)
- 7 ounces all purpose flour (or 1 2/3 cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the filling:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 slices bacon (thick-cut slices), chopped
- 5 potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- 1 cup smoked gouda, grated
- 1 cup half and half
- Salt and pepper
- Chive or scallion for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- To make the pie dough, add the flour, sugar and salt to a food processor or stand mixer (or a bowl if you don’t have access to either machine) and pulse a few times to mix.
- Cube and add the butter to the food processor and pulse to cut the butter to small pieces, about the size of blueberries.
- Add the water and vinegar all at once and pulse the machine until the dough just begins to hold together. This is when you don’t see dry crumbs on the bottom of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough from the food processor to a clean work surface. Pressing the dough together, (do NOT knead!) wrap the dough in plastic wrap tightly, forming a disc. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to two days.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll to about ¼ inch thickness. Line the pastry in one 8- or 9-inch pie pan or two 6” pie plates and cut the edges. Refrigerate the crust until ready to fill.
- Place the butter and bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté until the bacon is crispy then toss in the onions, followed by the potatoes and dill. Season to taste with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Gently stir 3-5 minutes, to mix the onions and potatoes and coat in the bacon fat. (The potatoes don’t need to be cooked through.) Remove from the heat.
- Layer half the potato mixture into the lined pie plates. Sprinkle the smoked gouda evenly over the potato mixture. Continue layering remaining potato mixture until the pies are completely full.
- Drizzle each pie with the half and half, filling each to the top layer of potatoes.
- Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 35-45 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the crust is golden. Rest for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with chopped chive, fresh chopped dill and slice to serve.
Notes
This can be baked ahead to save time. Just reheat at 350F uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the center is hot and the bottom crust has crisped up a bit. Serve with hot sauce and sour cream on the side!
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
Keywords: Irish, St. Patrick’s Day, potato dish, side dish, hearty dinner, pot pie, dinner recipe, winter sides
