Potato Crust

When I was a kid my mom used to make a cauliflower cheese pie from the moosewood cookbook. It had a crust made out of grated potato and it was always one of my favorites. Years later when I was in college I recreated it and have been making my own variation of it ever since. Not only is it really delicious, it is hearty, easy to make and gluten free!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Wash and grate with the large side of a cheese grater, two medium sized potatoes. As you grate the potatoes set the grated pieces in a colander over the sink to let any excess liquid drain out. When you are finished squeeze the excess liquid out of the potato one handful at a time, placing the dry potato into a medium sized mixing bowl. To the grated potato add one egg, fresh ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt and a hearty handful of chopped parsley (any herbs can be happily added here). Mix all ingredients well.

Grease a 9 inch pie pan with olive oil or butter and evenly pat the potato mixture into the pie pan and up the sides. Bake the crust at 375 degrees until the top edges of the crust are golden and the potato is cooked, this takes about 25 to 30 minutes depending on the oven. Allow the crust to cool for a few minutes before adding your filling. You can also make the crust up to a day in advance and add the filling just before baking. This crust is great as the base for any savory pie!