Making a complete meal of the versatile potato

Making a complete meal of the versatile potato

Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Potatoes are usually a side dish or garnish in Indonesian
cuisine, but they can make an entire meal, from appetizer to
dessert.

Donald J. Pezar, executive chef at Inter-continental Mid Plaza
hotel (formerly known as Kempinsky hotel), provided these recipes
for you to prepare in your own kitchen.

The potato and capsicum pave is a tasty appetizer that also
offers a mild sweet flavor from the roasted capsicum. Potato
gnocchi can be deliciously accompanied with either pesto, tomato
sauce or cheese as a main course. And the sweet potato pie,
although not technically a potato, makes for a nice end to a
meal.

Potato and capsicum pave

* 2tbs butter
* 2pcs large potatoes
* salt and white pepper to taste
* 225g grated Parmesan cheese
* 2pcs red capsicum, roasted and peeled
* 2pcs green capsicum, roasted and peeled
* 1pc zuchinni

1. Thinly slice the potato and the zuchinni lengthwise. Slice the
capsicum into wide strips.

2. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and grease lightly with
butter. Layer the potatoes on the bottom of the pan, overlapping
each other. Season with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Layer
the peppers on top of the potatoes, followed by the zuchinni.
Repeat this procedure and finish with a layer of potatoes on top.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and place a weighted pan on top, bake
at 175 Celsius degree for 2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to
cool with the weighted pan on top.

4. When cool remove it from the pan and slice it into 10 cm
squares. Saute this with butter in a non stick pan until both
sides are golden brown and it is hot throughout. Serve
immediately.

Potato Gnocchi

* 700g large potatoes, unpeeled
* 170g flour
* salt

1. Boil the potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes or until soft. Drain
and then peel. While still warm push through a food mill or ricer
into a bowl.

2. Beat the flour into the potatoes, a little at a time. Stop
adding when the mixture is smooth and slightly sticky. The amount
of flour may vary slightly depending on the moisture of the
potatoes. Do not overmix. Season with salt.

3. Place on a floured board and roll out into a long cylinder 1.5
cm in diameter. Cut the long roll into 2- to 3-centimeter pieces.

4. Place a piece of dough on the end of your thumb and press the
prongs of a fork lightly over the top. The gnocchi will be
slightly hollow on one side and grooved on the other.

5. Bring a large pan of water to a boil and add the gnocchi. They
will rise to the surface but let them cook another 20 seconds and
then remove to a pan.

4. Gently toss with pesto, tomato sauce or cheese. Serve
immediately.

Sweet potato pie

* 1pcs sweet tartlet shell
* 30g sweet potato
* 20g maple syrup
* 30g whipped cream
* 5g pecans, toasted and chopped
* 5g sweet potato, cut into thin strips and deep fried
* 10ml caramel sauce
* 2g icing sugar

1. Boil and mash the sweet potato. When cool, gently fold in the
whipped cream. Add the maple syrup to the mixture, blend well and
spoon into the tartlet shell.

2. Ladle caramel sauce around a serving plate and place the
tartlet on top. Garnish with toasted pecans, crispy fried sweet
potatoes and a light dusting of icing sugar.