The Magic of Potato Flakes: Quick Potato Flake & Green Bean Loaf: Easy & Clever Recipe
Do you have potato flakes? If yes, you have more than quick mashed potatoes! This ingenious product is a kitchen multitasker. It’s dehydrated and ground potatoes. It boasts a long shelf life. You can easily find it in any supermarket. Its versatility is remarkable. Think creamy Gattò di Patate. Imagine savory potato and speck timbales. Consider flavorful potato and mortadella meatballs. You can effortlessly achieve all this with this humble ingredient.
Today, we’ll unlock another fantastic use for potato flakes. It’s a speedy vegetable loaf with green beans. This reminds us of the classic Polpettone di Patate e Fagiolini. That’s a Ligurian tradition. This clever recipe lets you skip boiling potatoes. It transforms a simple packet of flakes. You get a satisfying and flavorful dish. It takes just a few easy steps.
This potato flake and green bean loaf shows simple, delicious vegetarian cooking. It perfectly balances flavors and textures. It offers an aromatic, intensely palatable, yet delicate experience. Serve it warm as a comforting main course. Enjoy it at room temperature for a light lunch or picnic.
The beauty of this recipe is its short, straightforward ingredient list. All you need is instant mashed potato flakes. Add eggs, Parmesan cheese, and ricotta cheese. Marjoram and canned green beans are also key. Canned beans offer ultimate convenience. Don’t forget a pinch of salt. The result is a vegetable loaf. It’s wonderfully soft inside. It boasts a delightful “sandy” and fragrant crust.
Moreover, this potato flake recipe is incredibly adaptable. Feel free to enrich the filling with spinach. Swap the green beans for zucchini. You can even add diced cured meats. Try mortadella or cooked ham in the mixture. This clever potato flake recipe is a guaranteed success. It offers a delicious, time-saving alternative. It’s better than traditional vegetable loaves. Get ready to discover the magic of cooking with potato flakes!
WHAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE THE POTATO FLAKE LOAF WITH GREEN BEANS
INGREDIENTS
- Power 375,44 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 25,96 (g) of which sugars 6,00 (g)
- Proteins 19,50 (g)
- Fat 22,11 (g) of which saturated 9,85 (g)of which unsaturated 5,77 (g)
- Fibers 2,53 (g)
- Sodium 287,49 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
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POTATO FLAKES: CLEVER RECIPE FOR GREEN BEAN LOAF
VEGETABLE LOAF MIX with potato flakes
In a large bowl, pour in the potato flakes, a pinch of salt, grated Parmesan cheese, eggs, marjoram, and lukewarm milk. Begin mixing with a spoon until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. Add the ricotta cheese and incorporate it well. Set the mixture aside.
COOKING THE GREEN BEANS
In a large pan, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil and sauté the thinly sliced shallot until softened. Add the drained canned green beans, season with salt, and sauté for a couple of minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
PREPARING THE BAKED LOAF
Into the bowl with the potato flake mixture, add the green beans along with any cooking liquid from the pan. Mix with a spoon to combine everything thoroughly. Lightly grease a baking pan, sprinkle it with breadcrumbs, and pour in the potato flake and green bean mixture. Level the surface with a spatula, being careful not to press down too much. Create the typical loaf lines on the surface using the tines of a fork, sprinkle again with breadcrumbs, and drizzle a little olive oil over the top.
COOKING THE POTATO FLAKE AND GREEN BEAN LOAF
Bake in a preheated static oven at 200°C (390°F) for 30-35 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on your oven, the size of the baking pan, and consequently the thickness of the loaf. It should become lightly golden brown on the surface. Remove from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature.
STORAGE
The potato flake loaf with green beans can be prepared in advance in the morning for the evening. If consumed on the same day, it can be stored at room temperature. If there are leftovers, place them in a closed container and refrigerate for a maximum of 2 days. To enjoy it again, simply bring it to room temperature or, if you prefer it warm, heat it for 1 minute in the microwave or oven.
NOTES AND TIPS
INSTANT MASHED POTATOES: You can find different types of instant mashed potatoes on the market. Only choose those labeled “potato flakes” because preparations with potato powder do not give the same result and could be too “pasty.”
MILK: The amount of milk is indicative because not all potato flake preparations have the same liquid absorption capacity. After preparing the loaf mixture and before adding the green beans, check that the consistency of the mixture is compact but not too dry; it should be soft and slightly firmer than mashed potatoes. If it is too dry, add a little milk; if it is too liquid, add 1 tablespoon of potato flakes or 1 teaspoon of breadcrumbs.
RICOTTA CHEESE: Ricotta adds both flavor and softness to the loaf. I recommend not omitting it from the recipe ingredients.
GRATED CHEESE: For a more intense flavor, you can use grated Pecorino cheese instead of Parmesan.
GREEN BEANS: Since this recipe is designed to shorten the preparation time of the loaf as much as possible, I used canned green beans. However, you can replace them with frozen green beans, which should be boiled first, or fresh green beans, which in this case should also be cleaned and boiled in lightly salted water before being sautéed in a pan with oil and shallot.
MARJORAM: In the Ligurian recipe for potato and green bean loaf, this aromatic herb is always present, adding fragrance as well as flavor to the dish. You can use it fresh or dried.
VARIATIONS FOR POTATO FLAKE AND GREEN BEAN LOAF
GREEN BEANS: Instead of green beans, you can use other vegetables such as spinach, previously blanched and sautéed in a pan with oil, salt, and a pinch of pepper, or zucchini, as well as carrots or broccoli.
RICH LOAF: If you want to make your potato flake and green bean loaf even richer, you can add diced cured meats such as mortadella or cooked ham, or cheeses such as mild provola or stringy cheeses, also cut into cubes, to the mixture.
CRISPY LOAF: If you want an even more flavorful and crispy crust on the loaf, sprinkle it with a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese before baking. The melting cheese will give your loaf an even more savory taste and form a crispy and golden layer on the surface.
LACTOSE-FREE LOAF RECIPE: For a completely lactose-free version, you can replace cow’s milk with an equal amount of water and use lactose-free ricotta, while grated Parmesan cheese is normally tolerated by those who cannot consume lactose, but you can omit it if you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How are potato flakes made, what are they?
Potato flakes are obtained by hot air drying and grinding fresh (peeled) potatoes. The specific processing they undergo significantly improves their preservation and ease of use.
Varied doses for servings