Lithuanian Potato Pie

Potato pie, or Kugelis, bulvių plokštainis in my mother tongue, is a potato dish from Lithuania.

It is a common dish, cooked almost in every household during late autumn and winter as it is heavy. Some say that it is a piece of our traditional cuisine, what is only half true as it was “invented” only during the war. However, I personally adore it. The recipe varies from family to family, so I will present you with the one I usually cook.

INGRIDIENTS

2 kg of potatoes
500 g of bacon, chopped
2 large onions
1 large egg
1/2 glass of milk
Sour cream (for serving)
Salt, pepper

METHOD

1. Using a food processor or by hand, finely grate potatoes.

2. In a big bowl combine potatoes with egg and mix thoroughly.

3. In a large skillet, sauté bacon and finely chopped onions until lightly browned and caramelized.

4. Half of the bacon, onions and fat set aside, half (while it is still hot) pour into potatoes. Mix.

5. Boil milk and immediately pour it into potatoes. Mix thoroughly.

6. Add 1/2 of teaspoon of salt and mix.

7. Pour potato mixture into baking pan and bake in the oven for 60-100 minutes – until top is quite brown and interior is solid, but still moist.

8. Serve with sour cream, sauteed bacon and onion, sprinkle some black pepper on top.

9. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. You can enjoy leftovers by heating portions in the microwave or browning them in butter.