Potato, Onion and Bacon Cake

This isn’t a cake in the traditional sense, more like a big, wonderful potato pancake. This yields a nice, toothsome potato cake. If you like yours more crispy, you might want to turn the heat up for the last bit of baking.

Ingredients:

3 large baking potatoes, peeled

1 medium to large yellow onion, peeled

8 slices of bacon

3 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon dried thyme or marjoram

2 Tablespoons butter

Directions: Prepare a large mixing bowl by filling it with cold water. Very thinly slice the potatoes (a mandolin or the slicing blade of a food processor are great for this) and place the potato slices in the bowl of cold water. Very thinly slice the onion and set aside. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and thyme. In a large oven safe skillet, cook bacon until crisp and remove to a paper towel lined plate. Drain off the excess bacon fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add the onion slices to the skillet and cook for five minutes at medium heat, until the onion is soft and starting to turn golden. Remove the onion slices to a bowl, leaving a thin layer of bacon fat in the bottom of the skillet. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the potato slices and pat dry on paper towels. Remove the skillet from the heat and place 2 layers of potatoes, a little salt/pepper/thyme and one layer of onion. Crumble some bacon over the top. Repeat the layering process (tamping down with your palm every so often) until you reach about ½ inch from the top of the skillet or you run out of potato, onion or bacon. Try to end with a layer of potatoes on top. Sprinkle with just a bit more salt/pepper/thyme and dot the top with the butter. Spray a piece of foil with baking spray and place over the top of the skillet. Pat down firmly to compress the cake. Place the skillet with the foil cover in the oven for 45 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook for another 25 minutes.  Loosen the edges with a knife.  Place a large plate over the top and (using oven mitts); turn the plate and skillet over so the cake is now on the place. Slice into wedges. Not in a flipping mood? Just slice and serve from the skillet.

Get creative on me: Sour cream is a great topping for this. Maybe a nice green salad.  Got any leftover potatoes, onion and/or bacon? Throw them in a skillet, brown; add a few lightly beaten eggs and some cheese. Instant frittata.