Chef Graziella
Asparagi al Forno con Parmigiano
Roasted asparagus finished with aged Parmigiano-Reggiano from the same region that grows the best spears. Four ingredients. No complications. Nothing to hide behind.
Culinary Explorer
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Patate Arraganate
Created by
The baked potatoes of Puglia, where sliced potatoes, ripe tomatoes, and sweet onions roast together in a terracotta dish until their edges crisp and their juices mingle into something greater than any ingredient alone.
Side Dishes
Italian, Pugliese
Weeknight
One Pot
20 min
Active Time
1 hr 15 min cook•1 hr 35 min total
Yield6 servings
Arraganato means 'with oregano,' and in Puglia this word describes a way of cooking that requires nothing more than good olive oil, dried oregano, and patience. The potatoes must be sliced thin enough to cook through but thick enough to hold their shape. The tomatoes must be ripe. The onions must be sweet. Everything else is excess.
This is contadino cooking, the food of Pugliese farmers who had olive oil in abundance, oregano growing wild on the hillsides, and whatever vegetables the garden offered. They did not follow recipes. They understood proportions. A layer of potatoes, a scattering of tomatoes and onions, a drizzle of oil, a pinch of oregano. Repeat until the dish is full. Bake until done.
What you keep out matters here. No cheese gratinéed on top, no cream, no butter, no complication. The potatoes absorb the tomato juices and the olive oil. The onions soften and sweeten. The oregano perfumes everything. This is how vegetables are meant to taste when you leave them alone and let heat do its work.
Patate arraganate belongs to the tradition of Pugliese tiella, one-dish baked preparations that date to when every household had a wood-burning oven and no time for fuss. Farmers' wives assembled these dishes in terracotta pans, carried them to the communal oven, and retrieved them hours later. The dish required no attention, no stirring, no watching. It cooked while they worked the fields.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
Yukon Gold potatoes
Quantity
2 pounds
peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
ripe tomatoes
Quantity
1 pound
cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
yellow onion
Quantity
1 large
halved and sliced thin
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
1/2 cup, plus more for the dish
dried oregano
Quantity
2 teaspoons
garlic cloves
Quantity
3
sliced thin
water
Quantity
1/2 cup
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Yukon Gold potatoespeeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick | 2 pounds |
| ripe tomatoescored and sliced 1/4-inch thick | 1 pound |
| yellow onionhalved and sliced thin | 1 large |
| extra virgin olive oil | 1/2 cup, plus more for the dish |
| dried oregano | 2 teaspoons |
| garlic clovessliced thin | 3 |
| water | 1/2 cup |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •9x13-inch baking dish or terracotta casserole
- •Sharp knife or mandoline for slicing
- •Aluminum foil
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the baking dish
Heat the oven to 400°F. Generously oil a 9x13-inch baking dish or a terracotta casserole with olive oil. The dish should glisten. Do not be timid with the oil.
- 2
Layer the first potatoes
Arrange half the potato slices in overlapping rows across the bottom of the dish. Season with salt, pepper, and half the oregano. Scatter half the garlic slices over the potatoes. The potatoes should cover the bottom completely with slight overlap.
Slice the potatoes uniformly. Uneven slices cook unevenly. Some will be raw while others turn to mush. A mandoline helps, but a sharp knife and patience work equally well. - 3
Add the vegetables
Distribute all the tomato slices over the potatoes. Scatter all the onion slices over the tomatoes. Season again with salt and pepper. The tomatoes will release their juices as they cook. This is what you want.
- 4
Add the final layer
Arrange the remaining potato slices over the onions and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and the remaining oregano. Scatter the remaining garlic over the top. Drizzle the half cup of olive oil evenly over everything. Pour the water around the edges of the dish.
The water prevents the bottom from scorching during the first phase of cooking. It will evaporate and allow the edges to crisp. Do not omit it. - 5
Bake covered
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes. The potatoes will steam and become tender. Do not open the oven to check. Trust the process.
- 6
Finish uncovered
Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden and the edges are beginning to crisp, 25 to 30 minutes more. The potatoes should be completely tender when pierced with a knife. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the final minutes.
- 7
Rest and serve
Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to settle and makes serving easier. Serve warm, not hot, directly from the baking dish. This is contorno, a side dish meant to accompany grilled fish or roasted meat. It is not a main course.
Chef Tips
- •Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape and turn golden when roasted. Waxy potatoes like Red Bliss also work. Avoid russets, which fall apart and become mealy.
- •In summer, use the ripest tomatoes you can find. In winter, good-quality canned San Marzano tomatoes, drained and sliced, are superior to pale, refrigerated fresh tomatoes.
- •Dried oregano is correct here. Fresh oregano lacks the intensity that defines this dish. The dried herb blooms in the heat and perfumes the oil.
- •Some Pugliese cooks scatter breadcrumbs over the top layer before the final baking for added crunch. This is traditional in certain villages. Use coarse, dry breadcrumbs if you wish to try it.
Advance Preparation
- •The dish can be assembled several hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Add 10 minutes to the covered baking time if baking from cold.
- •Leftovers reheat well in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes. They are also good at room temperature the next day, dressed with a little fresh olive oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 230g)
Calories
305 calories
Total Fat
18 g
Saturated Fat
2 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
15 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
400 mg
Total Carbohydrates
32 g
Dietary Fiber
5 g
Sugars
4 g
Protein
4 g
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