Potato main dishes

Argentina: Pastel de Papas

Ingredients (6 servings) - 840 g (4 cups) mashed potatoes - 2 eggs - 1 tsp of chopped parsley - 2 tbsps of grated cheese - 1 onion, diced - 2 tomatoes, diced - 1 tbsp tomato sauce - 1 clove of garlic, minced - ½ cup of vegetable oil - 450 g (2 cups) ground beef - Spices to taste

Preparation Boil and mash the potatoes, add butter and salt to taste. Pan-fry the onions and garlic until light brown, then stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. When tomatoes are cooked, stir in the ground beef and blend thoroughly. Add cheese and parsley, then cook until beef is brown. Remove from heat and season with spices. Spread the potatoes in an oiled baking dish, spoon the ground beef above the potatoes, then cover with the remaining mashed potatoes. Bake until the top is lightly browned.

Spain: Potato omelette (Tortilla de patatas)

Ingredients (4 servings) - 300 g (10½ oz) potatoes - 1 onion - 6 eggs - 130 ml (9 tbsps) olive oil - salt

Preparation Cut the potatoes into thin slices and pan-fry slowly with two thirds of the oil. Once done, season and set aside. Beat the eggs in a bowl, pour the remaining oil in the frypan, then add the egg and potatoes. As the mixture cooks, gently shake the pan to avoid sticking. Use a flat dish to turn the omelette over and return to the frypan until cooked (but not too dry).

Belarus: Potatoes stuffed with liver

Ingredients (6 servings) - 12 potatoes - 500 ml (2 cups) sour cream seasoned with onion Stuffing - 400 g (14 oz) liver - 40 g (1½ oz) salted pork fat - 1 onion - salt

Preparation Boil the potatoes in their skins, peel and scoop out the centres. Slice the liver into thin strips, slice the onion into half rings and the salted pork fat into small cubes. Pan-fry the stuffing ingredients, add the salt and fill the potatoes. Top with sour cream, cover and cook over low heat until done.

Netherlands: Herring gratin

Ingredients (6 servings) - 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) potatoes - 6 smoked herrings - sour cream - salt, pepper - garden herbs

Preparation Soak the herrings for an hour in tepid water, changing water regularly. Then place herrings in cold water, bring to the boil and cook for six minutes over medium heat. In another saucepan, boil the potatoes in their jackets. Peel and mash the potatoes, then add the sour cream, chopped garden herbs, salt and pepper. Grease a shallow dish with butter, spread a bed of purée in it and place the diced herring evenly (minus the bones!) on top. Make alternate layers of purée and herring, finishing with purée, then dab with butter. Bake in a hot oven until a brown crust has formed (20 minutes).