Potato and leek cake: traditional recipe from Lunigiana

A dish rich history and flavour

Potato and leek pie is a dish that embodies the culinary tradition of Lunigiana, a region rich authentic flavors and fascinating stories. This dish, which combines the sweetness of leeks with the creaminess of potatoes, is perfect for the end-of-year holidays, when families gather around laden tables. Home cook Anna Gussoni, 84, is an expert acceso this recipe, passed from generation to generation. “I started cooking as a child, following my mother’s recipes and experimenting with new combinations,” she says proudly.

Ingredients and preparation of the cake

To prepare the potato and leek pie, Anna uses simple but high quality ingredients. For a pan of 35 centimeters diameter, you need 1 kg of finely chopped leeks, salted for about three hours, 2-3 sliced ​​potatoes, 100 grams of parmesan, a glass of extra virgin olive oil and 200 grams of ricotta. The pastry requires 200 grams of flour and corn oil. Anna underlines the importance of rolling the pastry with a rolling pin, a crucial step to obtain a crispy crust. After preparing the filling, it is poured into the pasticcino shell and a drizzle of olive oil is added before baking.

A dish for special occasions

This cake is not just a simple dish, but also represents a moment of conviviality and tradition. Once upon a time, it was customary to prepare it for the last day of Advent, as a sign of respect for religious traditions. During Christmas Eve, fact, it was forbidden to eat meat, and the potato and leek pie became one of the main courses. Today, Anna’s recipe is a way to keep this tradition alive, allowing everyone to rediscover the authentic flavors of Lunigiana cuisine.

The value of local ingredients

The potatoes used the recipe are mountain potatoes, known for their sweet and firm pulp, which does not fall apart during cooking. The history of potatoes Lunigiana is fascinating: introduced 1777, they helped save the population from the famine of 1817. Today, the potato and leek pie is a symbol of resilience and culinary creativity, a dish that tells the story of a community and its gastronomic traditions.