Recipes from Italy

  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Italian Savory Pies

    Potato Gateau | Italian Mashed Potato Pie Recipe

    Published: Aug 9, 2022 · Modified: Jun 6, 2024 by Silvana Nava · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe

    Potato Gateau is a very rich and tasty Italian mashed potato pie recipe. Easy to make, this Gattò di Patate (or Potato Gattò) is generally enriched with ham, salami, parmigiano, provola or mozzarella.

    Actually, there is no precise recipe. Each family has handed down its own version over time. You can use the cured meats and cheeses you prefer or you find available.

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie 600x900 1

    The Gateau di Patate, better known in Naples as Gattò, is an ancient Neapolitan delicacy, now widespread throughout Italy.

    Depending on your taste and the season, you can eat the Potato Gateau both hot and cold.

    You can serve it as a single dish for a frugal lunch or as an appetizer. This Italian mashed potato pie is also perfect to enrich a savory buffet for a party or for a packed lunch in summer.

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie 600x900 2

    Potato Gatto is a great classic of Italian cuisine. It's a quick and easy recipe, perfect when you want to bring a tasty and full of flavor dish to the table.

    The delicious scent of potatoes and eggs, the stringy cheese, the salami cubes and the crunchy crust will captivate your guests. Now try our Italian mashed potato pie recipe (Potato Gateau), a terrific delicacy!

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie 600x900 8

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • Tips
    • Variations
    • The Curious History of Potato Gateau (Gattò di Patate)
    • Recipe Card


    Ingredients

    Doses for a 13x9 inch baking dish

    • Prep Time: 20 Min
    • Cook Time: 1 Hour 20 Min
    • Resting Time: 15 Min
    • Servings: 8

    PLEASE NOTE : Resting time is essential to compact all the ingredients and be able to make portions without breaking them.


    • 1 kg (about 2 pounds) of potatoes
    • 3 whole medium eggs
    • 120 g (4,5 oz) of Mozzarella or Buffalo Mozzarella
    • 60 g (½ cup) of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
    • 60 g (2 oz) of Salami
    • 60 g (2 oz) of Ham in a single slice or in little cubes
    • 150 g (5 oz) of cheese, some smoked such as smoked scamorza and some sweeter such as caciocavallo.
    • 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
    • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
    • fine salt

    Instructions

    Gattò di Patate _ Italian Potato Pie step 1

    Step 1) - To make the Potato Gateau, start by boiling the potatoes with their skin. Put them in a large pot with plenty of cold water.
    Bring to a boil and from now on will take about 30/40 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.

    Test the softness of the potatoes with a fork. Remove them from the water and let them cool a little but not completely. The potatoes that are still a little warm are softer and  you can mash them better.

    So peel the potatoes while they are still a warm.

    potato gateau _ Italian Potato Pie step 2Step 2) - While the potatoes are boiling, prepare the ingredients:

    • Cut the mozzarella into cubes. Then put them in a colander to drain all the liquid that comes out.
    • Dice the cheeses
    • Cut the salami and ham into small cubes.

    Potato Gateau _ Italian Potato Pie step 3

    Step 3) - Mash the potatoes still warm in a bowl with a potato masher.

    Now break the eggs into a bowl. Add a little salt and pepper and beat them with a whisk.

    Finally add the beaten eggs to the potatoes and mix very well.

    Potato Gateau _ Italian Potato Pie step 4

    Step 4) - When the mixture is well blended you can add the grated Parmigiano and the extra virgin olive oil. Then add ham, salami, mozzarella and the cheeses. Mix throughly all the ingredients.

    Potato Gateau _ Italian Potato Pie step 5

    Step 5) - Take a baking dish and oil the base. Then add the breadcrumbs on the base evenly, over the entire surface. This step is to prevent the mixture from sticking during cooking and so that you can cut portions more easily.

    Then pour the mixture into the pan.

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie step 6

    Step 6) - Level and sprinkle the surface of the Potato Gateau with the breadcrumbs and a little more grated Parmigiano. Add also a dash of oil.

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie step 7

    Step 7) - Bake your potato gateau at 180°C (350°F) in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Place the baking pan on the middle rack.

    Halfway through baking, turn the pan by 180° to help form a crispy crust evenly. If you want in the last 3 or 4 minutes you can turn on the grill, so that the surface becomes even more golden. But be careful that it doesn't burn!

    Take your potato gateau out of the oven and let it cool.

    It's important, if you want to cut a whole slice, that the potato gatto is just warm or cold and not very hot. So let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before serving so that all the ingredients are compacted.

    This Italian mashed potato pie recipe is also perfect served cold. So you can cook it even the day before serving.

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie 600x900 3

    YOU MUST ALSO TRY:

    • Eggplant Parmigiana | Parmigiana di Melanzane
    • Gnocchi alla Sorrentina 
    • No-Fry Zucchini Parmesan |Parmigiana di Zucchine
    • Homemade Potato Gnocchi Recipe
    • Italian Green Bean Casserole | Polpettone alla Ligure
    • Italian Artichoke Casserole | Sformato di Carciofi

    Storage

    You can store the cooked potato gateau in the refrigerator and reheat it as needed for up to two days.

    We don't recommend to make it too many hours ahead of time before baking. That's because obviously you should store the mixture in the refrigerator but then the potatoes will blacken. Better to reheat it already cooked.

    We don't recommend freezing.

    Tips

    What Potatoes are Best for Italian Potato Gateau?

    The best potatoes for this Italian potato cake recipe are yellow-fleshed ones, with their characteristic firm flesh, which lend themselves well to cooking.

    Otherwise, you can use white-fleshed ones, which are meatier but still good. If the dough turns out too floury, you can add half a glass of milk to the mixture.

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie 600x900 4

    Variations

    As we have already told you, there is no exact recipe for Italian Gatto di Patate. You can use the cheeses and cold cuts that you prefer or that you have on hand.

    However, the Potato Gateau recipe we showed you is the most popular Neapolitan version.

    The gateau is the ultimate fridge-emptying recipe. To make it you can use the cheeses and cold cuts you have in the fridge that you need to use up.

    A tasty variation is potato flan with cheese and sausage that is stringy and delicious.

    The more delicate classic version uses only cooked ham and mozzarella cheese.

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie 600x900 5

    Vegetarian Potato Gateau

    For a vegetarian version you can definitely omit the cold cuts and replace them with vegetables. For example, some zucchini, sautéed or fried. Or just use a mixture of cheeses of your liking.

    The Curious History of Potato Gateau (Gattò di Patate)

    The origins of this recipe and its name (Gateau or Gattò di Patate) are linked to the history of the city of Naples.

    According to tradition, Potato Gateau was first prepared in 1768, on the occasion of the wedding between Archduchess Maria Carolina of Hapsburg and Ferdinand IV of Bourbon.

    The future queen of Naples had cooks called for the wedding banquet from France: the so-called monsieurs "monzù" in Neapolitan dialect.

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie 600x900 6

    It was these cooks who proposed to the guests a potato pie, created especially for the royal banquet.

    Obviously the French cooks used products typical of their land, such as Emmental and the “Rosette de Lyon”.

    The Neapolitan cooks replicated the tasty recipe using typical Neapolitan products: mozzarella, provolone and salami.

    The name for the dish was given by taking the French term "gâteau," used to refer to any sweet or savory pie, and adapting it to the Neapolitan dialect.

    However, unlike the French "gâteau", "gattò" refers ONLY to this Neapolitan potato cake recipe, the Gattò di Patate!

    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie 600x900 7

    Recipe Card

    STEP BY STEP PHOTOS ABOVE!Have a look at my step-by-step photo instructions, variations and tips. That way, you can get it perfect the first time you try it!
    Potato Gateau _Italian Potato Pie 1200x1200

    Potato Gateau (Italian Mashed Potato Pie Recipe)

    Silvana Nava
    Potato Gateau is a very rich and tasty Italian mashed potato pie recipe. Easy to make, this Gattò di Patate (or Potato Gattò) is generally enriched with ham, salami, parmigiano, provola or mozzarella.
    Actually, there is no precise recipe. Each family has handed down its own version over time. You can use the cured meats and cheeses you prefer or you find available.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 35 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins
    Course Savory Pie
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8
    Calories 359 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 kg potatoes ~2 pounds
    • 3 eggs medium size
    • 120 g Mozzarella 4.5 oz - or Buffalo Mozzarella
    • 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano ½ cup - grated
    • 60 g Salami 2 oz
    • 60 g Ham 2 oz - in a single slice or in little cubes
    • 150 g Cheese 5 oz - some smoked such as smoked scamorza and some sweeter such as caciocavallo
    • 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
    • salt to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Boil the potatoes with their skin. Put them in a large pot with plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil and from now on will take about 30/40 minutes. Remove them from the water and peel the potatoes while they are still a warm.
    • Cut the mozzarella into cubes. Then put them in a colander to drain all the liquid that comes out. Dice the cheeses. Cut the salami and ham into small cubes.
    • Mash the potatoes still warm in a bowl with a potato masher.
    • Break the eggs into a bowl. Add a little salt and pepper and beat them with a whisk.
    • Add the beaten eggs to the potatoes and mix very well.
    • Add the grated Parmigiano and the extra virgin olive oil. Then add ham, salami, mozzarella and the cheeses. Mix throughly all the ingredients.
    • Take a baking dish and oil the base. Then add the breadcrumbs on the base evenly, over the entire surface. Pour the mixture into the pan.
    • Level and sprinkle the surface of the Potato Gateau with the breadcrumbs and a little more grated Parmigiano. Add also a dash of oil.
    • Bake your potato gateau at 180°C (350°F) in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Place the baking pan on the middle rack. Halfway through baking, turn the pan by 180° to help form a crispy crust evenly. If you want in the last 3 or 4 minutes you can turn on the grill, so that the surface becomes even more golden. But be careful that it doesn't burn! Take your potato gateau out of the oven and let it cool.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 19gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 627mgPotassium: 628mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 241IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 357mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword poato gatto, potato gateau, potato gateau recipe
    Tried this recipe?Mention @recipesfromitaly or tag #recipesfromitaly!

    More Italian Savory Pies

    • Savory Apple Strudel with Speck and Onions
      Savory Apple Strudel with Speck and Onions
    • neapolitan casatiello recipe
      Casatiello Napoletano (Traditional Neapolitan Easter Bread)
    • Italian Easter pie with artichokes
      Torta Pasqualina ai Carciofi (Italian Easter Pie with Artichokes)
    • broccoli casserole recipe
      Classic Italian Broccoli Casserole Recipe
    195 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Comments

    1. Norina Lundy says

      February 10, 2024 at 4:37 pm

      5 stars
      looks just like "la ricetta che ho visto a casa" - gpoing to try it because I remember it well - grazie tango - CI SIAMO!

      Reply
    5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Barbara & Silvana

    CIAO! Barbara & Silvana here! We are the authors of these amazing Italian recipes. Living in Italy, they are part of our culture, tradition and everyday life. And we want to share them with you all, straight from Italy! Learn more about us! Read our story!

    Popular Recipes

    • authentic italian tiramisu recipe
      Authentic Italian Tiramisu Recipe

    • authentic carbonara recipe
      Traditional Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

    • authentic italian gelato recipe
      How to Make Authentic Italian Gelato at Home

    • limoncello recipe
      Limoncello Recipe – Make Authentic Italian Limoncello at Home

    See more Popular Recipes →

    Italian Spring Recipes

    • Sweet Italian Easter Bread
      Treccia di Pasqua (Sweet Italian Easter Bread)

    • meatloaf with hard boiled eggs
      Meatloaf with Hard-Boiled Eggs

    • uova alla monachina
      Uova alla Monachina (Crispy Italian Béchamel-Stuffed Eggs)

    • pasta e piselli alla napoletana
      Pasta e Piselli alla Napoletana (Neapolitan Pasta and Peas)

    See more Italian Spring Recipes →

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About us
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 recipesfromitaly.com is a website of the company CIUMBIA S.A.S. - VAT 12138380964 - Milano

    195 shares

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

    This worked exactly as written, thanks!
    My family loved this!
    Thank you for sharing this recipe

    Or write in your own words:

    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.