Potato cake stuffed with cheese and cured meats

I love potato cake for its simplicity and versatility. I mostly do it with just potato, but when I want to use up what’s in the fridge, I stuff it with whatever I have around: onions, leeks, fennel and any cheeses. Double the recipe and make a big one to keep for the week ahead; cut it as you need it and heat it up in a hot oven. A slice topped with some lightly cooked spinach and a poached egg would be perfect for any meal of the day. This makes an ideal brunch dish.

Preheat the oven to highest possible heat.

Heat the frying pan on a medium heat. When warm, add a good splash of oil and a knob of butter. Melt together and coat the base and the sides of the pan with the mixture. Pour off any excess fat and keep in a bowl until later.

Keeping the pan on the heat, start slicing the potatoes; they need to be very thin, but not so thin you don’t get a complete slice. Layer the potatoes in the pan, going around in a clockwise direction and working your way into the middle. Make sure you are spreading them evenly, leaving no gap.

Season with salt and pepper every third layer.

After a couple of layers add half of the meats and then after another couple of layers add the cheese and then again the meats. You want to finish with a nice thick cake, so you will have a contrast of crisp and soft potato.

Brush the top with the reserved oil mixture and place in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft through when tested with a knife.

If the top of the cake is not nice and brown, flip the cake out on to a plate or chopping board and slide back topside down into the pan and return to the oven or put on a medium flame for a few minutes.

Turn out and cut into wedges and serve.