📌 Potato and Scamorza Tart

Posted 25 April 2026 by: Admin #Recipes

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total Time

40 minutes

Servings

6 servings

A Saturday evening in November, it’s starting to get cold outside and you really don’t feel like spending two hours in the kitchen. This is exactly where this tart comes in. Ten minutes of prep, thirty minutes in the oven, and you have something truly great on your plate.

Final result — The tart comes out of the oven golden brown, the scamorza still melting and the layers of potatoes perfectly visible when cut.

The tart comes out of the oven with that light caramel-colored crust that cracks slightly under the knife. The scamorza has melted between the potato layers—it pulls a little when you lift a slice. It smells of smoke, warm cheese, and buttery pastry. It’s the kind of dish that warms up the kitchen before you even taste it.

Why you’ll love this recipe

✓Preparation in 10 minutes flat : No joke. If you have a mandoline or a good knife, the potatoes are sliced in two minutes. The rest is just layering ingredients in the pan.

✓The gooey cheese : Scamorza melts in a way that regular mozzarella doesn’t—denser, more elastic, with a subtle smoky taste that holds up well during baking.

✓Hot, warm, or cold, it holds its own : The next day at lunch, straight from the fridge with a salad, it’s perfect. No need to reheat it if you don’t want to.

✓It can be prepared in advance : Assemble it in the morning, cover with plastic wrap, and put it in the fridge. All you have to do is pop it in the oven when people arrive.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients

Everything you need for this generous tart: potatoes, smoked scamorza, turkey bacon, eggs, and shortcrust pastry.

Shortcrust or puff pastry : Shortcrust: a sturdier base, rustic texture, it supports moist fillings well. Puff pastry: more crunch on the palate, but it can get soft underneath if the potatoes release water. Both work; it’s a matter of preference.
Scamorza : It’s a kind of smoked mozzarella, firmer and much tastier. You can find it in Italian delis, and some supermarkets sell it too. If you can’t find it, dry mozzarella with a pinch of smoked paprika in the egg mixture honestly does the trick.
Smoked turkey bacon : It brings the salt, the smoke, and the bite. Get it thinly sliced. The brand doesn’t matter much as long as it’s well-smoked—that smoky flavor is what links it to the scamorza.
Potatoes : Go for Charlotte or Amandine—they hold their shape during cooking and don’t release too much water. Bintje are less suitable here as they tend to fall apart.

Potatoes are the key

Peel them, rinse them, and cut them into really thin slices—two or three millimeters maximum. Use a mandoline if you have one, or a knife otherwise, but take the time to do it properly. If they’re thicker, they stay hard in the center while the top burns. You feel their slightly sticky starch under your fingers as you handle them. Set them aside in a bowl, no need to soak them in water—the cooking in the egg mixture will take care of it.

Assemble simply

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Unroll the dough into the tart tin, prick the bottom with a fork—without this, it puffs up in the middle and you end up with a crater. Arrange the potato slices in even layers, then distribute the turkey bacon and scamorza slices on top. In a bowl, beat the three eggs with the grated Parmesan and a pinch of salt. Pour the mixture over everything. A drizzle of olive oil to finish, and that’s it.

Thirty minutes and you’re done

Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes. Around twenty minutes in, you’ll start to hear a light whispering in the oven—that’s the egg mixture setting and the cheese starting to melt. The color gradually shifts from creamy white to a golden beige on the edges. The tart is ready when the top is firm to the touch and the crust is well-browned. If your oven runs hot, move it one rack lower.

Five minutes. No less.

Let it rest out of the oven before slicing. The filling is still a bit liquid when it comes out—it stabilizes as it cools slightly. If you cut it too early, everything collapses and you lose the beautiful visual of the layers. This waiting time is also when the smells of smoked cheese and buttery pastry truly fill the room.

Tips & Tricks

Don’t salt the egg mixture without tasting it first—the turkey bacon and Parmesan are already quite salty, a small pinch is often enough.
For an even meltier texture inside, add two tablespoons of heavy sour cream (crème fraîche) to the egg mixture. It really makes a difference.
To reheat the next day, forget the microwave—the pastry will become soft and spongy. Ten minutes at 160°C in the oven, and you’ll get the crunch back.

Close-up — The scamorza cheese pulls between the layers of melting potatoes—the comforting texture that makes this tart so charming.

FAQs

Can I prepare the tart in advance?

Yes, and it’s very convenient. Assemble the tart completely, cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours before cooking. Bake directly when needed, adding 3 to 5 extra minutes since it’s starting from cold.

I can’t find scamorza. What can I use instead?

Dry mozzarella (not the ball in water) is the best alternative—look for the vacuum-packed kind in supermarkets. To get that smoky flavor, add a pinch of smoked paprika to the egg mixture. Raclette cheese also works very well as a substitute.

Do I need to blind-bake the pastry?

No, it’s not necessary for this recipe. Pricking the bottom with a fork is enough to prevent puffing. Cooking directly with the filling results in a well-baked pastry without the risk of drying it out too much.

How do I prevent a soggy bottom?

Two important points: slice the potatoes very thinly (they release less water) and don’t overload the tart with filling. If you’re using puff pastry, place the tin on the bottom rack of the oven so the heat cooks the base well.

Can the tart be frozen?

Yes, in individual slices well-wrapped in plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag. It keeps for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat for 15 minutes at 160°C—the pastry will regain its crunch.

What is the best variety of potato for this recipe?

Waxy varieties like Charlotte, Amandine, or Ratte are ideal: they hold up well during cooking, don’t fall apart, and release little water. Avoid Bintje or floury varieties that mash and make the filling soggy.