RUSTIC LATTICE PIE WITH POTATOES, SCAMORZA, AND SPECK
Hearty option for a Thanksgiving with an Italian Twist
This rustic lattice pie, filled with creamy potatoes, smoky scamorza cheese, and savory speck, is the perfect dish for family gatherings and holiday feasts, especially if you’re looking to bring an Italian twist to Thanksgiving. With its warm, hearty ingredients and comforting flavors, this pie is a delightful fusion of classic Italian ingredients with a dish that feels right at home on any festive table.
The combination of potatoes, scamorza (a mild, smoked Italian cheese), and speck (a cured, lightly smoked ham from Northern Italy) creates a beautifully layered filling. The lattice crust adds a rustic charm to the pie, making it a showstopper centerpiece that will impress both kids and adults. The pie is easy to make, and the lattice design, while visually striking, also allows steam to escape, keeping the crust flaky and the filling perfectly cooked.
This pie pairs wonderfully with a fresh green salad and roasted vegetables, and can be served warm from the oven or enjoyed at room temperature, making it an ideal dish for gatherings where guests are mingling and snacking.
This Italian lattice pie is rich in protein and essential nutrients from the speck and scamorza cheese, both of which contribute calcium, protein, and healthy fats. Potatoes provide complex carbohydrates and are a good source of potassium and fiber. While hearty and indulgent, the pie can be made lighter by using a thin crust and balancing it with a side of vegetables for added vitamins.
A little history
The concept of savory pies filled with meat and cheese dates back to Italian peasant cuisine, where such dishes were designed to be hearty and filling. Ingredients like potatoes, cured meats, and cheeses were often used to create comforting meals that would sustain families throughout the day.
In Northern Italy, the combination of speck and smoked cheese reflects the alpine culinary traditions, where smoked and cured foods were common in winter months.
While lattice pies are more commonly associated with sweet fillings in North America, Italian cuisine has long embraced savory pies with rustic lattice crusts. This Italian version combines classic regional flavors with the beautiful lattice design, adding both flavor and festive flair to holiday tables.
INGREDIENTS👇🏻
• 700g | 24.7oz potatoes
• 250g | 8.8oz scamorza cheese
• 150g | 5.3oz speck slices
• 350g | 12oz puff pastry
• 1 egg
• Coarse sea salt for water
• Extra virgin olive oil
The recipe step by step
Dice the peeled potatoes and boil them in salted water for 12-15 minutes; then drain and let them cool down
Dice the scamorza cheese and chop roughly the speck slices
Add some extra virgin olive oil to the cooled down potatoes and fold thoroughly
Then add the speck and the scamorza cheese one at a time, stirring well each time [if the potatoes are not cooled down thoroughly the cheese will start melting creating a block difficult to handle later!]
Beat the egg to prepare an egg wash
Line the baking tray with parchment paper and laid over a thin sheet of puff pastry [2-3 mm | 0.08-0.11” tick] large enough to fold the rim over later
Pierce the puff pastry with a fork all over its surface
Ladle the filling mix on top of the puff pastry, making sure to distribute it uniformly all over the tray
Cut strips of puff pastry and create the lattice on top of your filling with any design you prefer [and that the puff pastry you have will allow!]
Fold the rim of the bottom puff pastry sheet over the filling, making sure to join it in with the lattice strips where possible
Cover the lattice and the folded over rim with egg wash and bake for 25 minutes on static mode at 180°C | 356°F
Bake for 10 more minutes under the grill at the same temperature
Wait for the pie to cool down before slicing it the way you want to serve it…and enjoy! 😋
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