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.