Dippelappes German Potato Dish from the Saarland

This is a very local traditional recipe from the region Saarland, Hunsrueck and the Rhineland. It is called Dippelappes German potato dish from the Saarland. It’s also called “Debbekoche” or “Debbeddutz” or “Schaales”. The base are potatoes with ham and vegetable and it is cooked in the oven for a long time. It is recommended to use rather more smaller fire proof forms than a big one. The dish should have a nice crust on top. You can vary it with different vegetables such as carrots or celery. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients Dippelappes German Potato Dish

1 1/2 kg potatoes
1 leek
5 chalottes or 1 onion
300 g Ham (Schinkenspeck in German)
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 egg
Fresh herbs: 3 tbsp chopped parsley
3 tbsp choppedd marjoram
1 tbsp lovage
salt, pepper nutmeg to taste

Cooking Instructions Dippelappes German Potato Dish

Peel potatoes.
Grate the potatoes fine into a kitchen cloth. Press the grated potatoes in that cloth very well.
Clean leek, cut in thin slices. Pell chalottes (onion), grate them.
Cut ham in small cubes, melt the ham in a pan without adding oil. Add leek and saute briefly.
Pre-heat oven to 180 C or 360 F (convection is 320 F).
Add the grated and pressed potatoes and onions. Mix well and let cook for some minutes.
Remove from heat, then add the egg.
Wash herbs, dry them on kitchen paper, chop fine. Add to potatoes. Spice to taste.
Place the potatoes into a greased or with parchment layered fire proof form.
Let cook for 1.5 hours with a lid or covered with foil.
20 min before its done, remove lid or foil, so you get a nice crust.