potato hash with pancetta and goat cheese

I spent the better part of this morning opening my fridge door, shuffling things in my pantry, and staring blankly into my cabinets wondering what would pacify my grumbling stomach which did not appreciate the excuse of not having anything in the house to eat. There were apples, but I  need them for that re-do apple pie I promised I would not burn a second time, and those biscuits — the ones I froze because I wanted a head start on the countless kitchen hours I am about to put in — well, we ate those already, and so I stole a few potatoes hoping they wouldn’t be missed in the 8 serving 4 serving gratin for Thursday.

While crisping my bacon and browning my potatoes, I realized, if this indeed was going to be the dish that steals my Josh’s serving of potato gratin then I would need something to make these potatoes a meal. So I called my husband.

“Umm, how do I fry an egg?”
“You know I’m at work, right?”
“Yes, but I really want a fried egg with my potatoes!”
“Ok, I’ll give you the 30-second version: Heat a skillet at the 4 mark and spray with Pam. Once it’s hot gently crack an egg into the skillet. The whites will begin to set so use a spatula to make sure the edges don’t stick. Let it cook until the white part is firm but the yolk is wobbly.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes, were you expecting more?”
“….no?”

That is how I learned to fry an egg — by a man who knows how to navigate the temperature settings on my oven (swoon) — creating a breakfast that will justify potato-stealing or in my case, potato-stealing and another batch of hash instead of gratin.

Potato Hash with Pancetta and Goat Cheese
Barely Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into a 1/2-inch dice
6 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a 12-inch cast iron frying pan over medium heat. Fry the pancetta, turning frequently crisping on all sides, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the pancetta and drain on paper towels. Leave the the renderings in the pan. (If using cast iron this should be enough fat to cook the remainder of the hash. If not using cast iron you may need to add a tablespoon or so of oil.)

Keeping the skillet over medium heat add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Refrain from moving them around in the pan for the first few minutes. Once they start to get brown underneath, flip them letting them cook again for a few minutes. Continue this process until the potatoes are about three-fourths as crisped and brown as you’d like them, then add the chopped onion. (The onion will burn if you add them before the potatoes.) Cook for an additional 5 – 10 minutes until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Return the pancetta to the pan to reheat. Remove from heat and add scallions and goat cheese. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Serve with fried eggs.