Frika: Slovenian Potato and Cheese Hash with Crisp Golden Edges
By Mason Brooks
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Servings
2
Level
Easy
Serve hot Frika as a full meal at lunch or dinner with vegetables in season․ Slovenian Frika is a dish of fried potatoes and cheese with crunchy and tender textures and melted cheese in the middle․ Ingredients include grated potatoes‚ Tolminc cheese‚ pancetta or olive oil‚ and fresh herbs․
Baking potatoes are peeled and shredded․ They are rinsed multiple times with cold water to remove some of the potato starch and then drained․ Pancetta is used in preparation‚ although other fats such as olive oil or lard may be substituted․ Shredded semihard and hard cheeses from Tolmin are added to the softened potatoes․ Parsley‚ oregano‚ and lovage are herbs used in this dish to complement the cheeses․
Flip potatoes while cooking for 15 to 18 minutes on medium heat to avoid burning․ Tips for cooking this recipe include watching for signs of thickening cheese and stirring occasionally after adding more cheese․ The biggest problem with this recipe is burning․ Add 1 tablespoon of water to the potatoes if they start to burn․
Frika is served warm‚ in slices‚ with a seasonal salad‚ as suggested․ This recipe yields enough Frika for two main courses or four appetizer servings․ The original recipe suggests cooking and eating Frika right away and not storing it․ Try serving your Frika straight from the pan․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Serves two as a lunch or dinner main dish or four as an appetizer‚ since the hash is cut to share with other seasonal salads․
- Works well as a weeknight meal‚ grated potatoes and a 22cm pan are all you need to prepare and serve this meal without requiring extra preparation or oven time for a sauce․
- Offers a vegetarian alternative to pancetta by using olive oil․ This recipe includes two different types of grated cheese to create a gooey texture․
- Pleases customers who prefer a crunchy outside and gooey melted cheese inside by providing a crunchy outside and melted cheese center for both top and bottom layers of hash․
- Lets breakfast‚ brunch‚ lunch‚ and dinner all follow the same recipe‚ as the original post says that Frika is eaten at all four meals․
- Works well for serving in the home to immediate family because it is best eaten hot from the pan‚ and the original does not recommend leftovers․
Ingredients
- •400 g potatoes
- •50 g pancetta (cut into cubes; or use olive oil or lard)
- •1 tbsp olive oil (or use instead of pancetta; optionally add 1 tsp with pancetta)
- •1 tbsp lard (or use instead of pancetta)
- •160 g semi-hard Tolminc cheese
- •50 g hard Tolminc cheese
- •2 tbsp fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, and lovage)
- •1 tbsp water (if the potatoes brown too quickly; cold water is also used for rinsing)
Instructions
- 1
Peel the potatoes and grate them.
- 2
Pour cold water into a large bowl, add the grated potatoes, and rinse thoroughly.
- 3
Drain the potatoes, then repeat the rinsing process two or three times until the water is clean.
- 4
Cut the pancetta into small cubes.
- 5
Grate both cheeses and stir them together in a bowl.
- 6
Add the pancetta to a 22cm (9-inch) pan, optionally add a teaspoon of oil, and pan-fry over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes. Use oil or lard instead of pancetta if preferred.
- 7
Add the drained potatoes and arrange them all over the pan.
- 8
Cook over medium heat for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring continuously, until the potatoes are soft. Add a tablespoon of water if the potatoes brown too quickly.
- 9
Add half the cheese and stir it into the Frika with a spatula. Cook for 1 minute until the cheese starts to melt and the mixture starts to thicken.
- 10
Add the remaining cheese and herbs, stir well, and shake the pan from time to time.
- 11
Spread the Frika evenly over the pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- 12
Transfer the Frika to a plate and flip it back into the pan. Cook the other side for 5 minutes, until golden and crispy outside.
- 13
Serve warm, cut into slices, and optionally sprinkle with fresh herbs.
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