Name: Patate in tecia, Gorizia-style
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1,000 g Potatoes (whole, scrubbed; choose medium potatoes of similar size); 2,500 ml Water (for boiling; drained after cooking); 100 g Pancetta (unsmoked, in small cubes); 150 g Red onion (peeled weight, thinly sliced); 25 g Extra virgin olive oil; 100 ml Unsalted vegetable stock (hot reserve; use only if needed to prevent scorching); 5 g Fine salt; 0.5 g Black pepper (freshly ground)

Let the potatoes sit against the pan between turns so their surfaces have time to brown.

Make ahead You can boil the potatoes ahead. Cool them promptly and refrigerate them; peel, cut and brown them when you are ready to serve.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 5 min
Rest: 10 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Patate in tecia, Gorizia-style

Prep 15 min · Cook 1 hr 5 min · Rest 10 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

1,000 g2¼ lb
Potatoeswhole, scrubbed; choose medium potatoes of similar sizewhole, scrubbed; choose medium potatoes of similar size
2,500 ml10½ cups
Waterfor boiling; drained after cookingfor boiling; drained after cooking
100 g3½ oz
Pancettaunsmoked, in small cubesunsmoked, in small cubes
150 g5½ oz
Red onionpeeled weight, thinly slicedpeeled weight, thinly sliced
25 g1 oz
Extra virgin olive oil
100 ml½ cup
Unsalted vegetable stockhot reserve; use only if needed to prevent scorchinghot reserve; use only if needed to prevent scorching
5 g¾ tsp
Fine salt
0.5 g¼ tsp
Black pepperfreshly groundfreshly ground

Equipment

5-liter pot
28-cm heavy skillet, at least 5 cm deep
Colander
Broad spatula
Kitchen scales

Method

Put the scrubbed whole potatoes in the pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until a thin knife reaches the center easily, allowing about 40 minutes from cold. Drain and leave for 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle.Put the scrubbed whole potatoes in the pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until a thin knife reaches the center easily, allowing about 40 minutes from cold. Drain and leave for 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into irregular chunks about 3–4 cm across. Keep them in broad pieces rather than crushing them. Slice the onion and keep the stock hot.Peel the potatoes and cut them into irregular chunks about 1¼–1½ in across. Keep them in broad pieces rather than crushing them. Slice the onion and keep the stock hot.
Warm the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens and the pancetta starts to color.Warm the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens and the pancetta starts to color.
Add the potato chunks, salt and pepper. Spread them across the pan and cook for about 15 minutes, turning with a broad spatula only occasionally, until several faces are golden. If the bottom threatens to scorch before the potatoes brown, add a little of the hot stock from the reserve. Let that moisture evaporate before the final browning.Add the potato chunks, salt and pepper. Spread them across the pan and cook for about 15 minutes, turning with a broad spatula only occasionally, until several faces are golden. If the bottom threatens to scorch before the potatoes brown, add a little of the hot stock from the reserve. Let that moisture evaporate before the final browning.
Serve straight from the hot skillet, lifting the potatoes gently so the browned edges stay intact.Serve straight from the hot skillet, lifting the potatoes gently so the browned edges stay intact.