Crisp Potato Cake

This cake is dense and heavy, but there is just something about all of those potatoes, baked harmoniously with bechamel, Parmesan cheese, and prosciutto, that makes this cake homey and delicious.

8 med. boiling potatoes (about 5 pounds)
salt to taste
4 tablspoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/4 lb. sliced prosciutto or baked ham, diced
2 tablspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 cup bechamel sauce (recipe below)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fine dried bread crumbs

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them generously with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a long knife, 25 to 35 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 400 and butter a 10 in. springform pan and coat the bottom and sides with the bread crumbs.

As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and pass them through a food mill or a potato ricer into a large bowl. (Do not use a food processor to mash the potatoes; it will make them very gummy.) Season with salt.

Melt the butter in a small pan (or microwave) and add to the potatoes. Beat 2 of the eggs in a small bowl and add to the potatoes, along with the ham, flour, parsley, nutmeg, bechamel, cheese, and mix thoroughly.

Put the potato mixture in the prepared pan, shake the pan lightly to distribute it evenly, and smooth the top with a spatula. Beat the remaining egg and brush it over the top of the potatoes. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until the cake has a crisp brown crust on top and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean (about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and transfer to serving dish. Serve warm or at room temp.

Bechamel Sauce

1 1/2 cups milk, plus more if needed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoon flour
pinch of salt

Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over med low heat. When the butter begins to foam, beat in the flour with a wooden spoon or a whisk and cook, stirring for about 2 min. making sure not to let the flour brown.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the hot milk all at once, whisking energetically to prevent lumps. Put the pan back over low heat, add the salt, and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is med. thick, about 5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a little more milk, too thin, cook it longer.