Page 141 - Pie Squared

HASH BROWN CRUST

For a Single-Crust Slab Pie

The idea for a crust made from potatoes may not have begun with
Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook, but that is where I learned to
press potatoes into a pie pan and call it crust. It’s a shoo-in for a
breakfast pie, and swaps in to any savory pie recipe when gluten-

free friends are visiting. No flour is used for binding; rely instead on
the naturally occurring potato starch to hold the crust together.

2 tablespoons neutral oil like canola or grapeseed
1 medium (142 g) onion, peeled

1½ pounds (680 g) medium russet potatoes, scrubbed (not peeled), about 4

1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 425°F; if you have one, place a baking stone,
Baking Steel, or inverted baking sheet in the center rack to heat (see
here). Use a pastry brush to paint 1 tablespoon of the oil into the

corners, up the sides, and across the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch
baking sheet.
Grate the onion on the medium holes of a box grater or use a

food processor’s grating disk (my preference) and place in a medium
mixing bowl. Grate the potatoes on the large shredding side of the
box grater or with the food processor’s grating disk. Taking a handful
of shredded potatoes at a time, squeeze them over a small bowl to
capture the liquid, then place the potato shreds in the bowl with the

onions. Work quickly.
Let the potato liquid sit for about 5 minutes, until the starch and