Patatas Bravas Hash Brown Crust Pizza

Ingredients:

For the Crust

• 3 pounds Idaho® Norkotah or Russet Burbank Potatoes (about 6 medium), peeled
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ½ cup shredded manchego cheese

For the Romesco Sauce

• 1 – 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained (2 whole peppers)
• 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 1 large tomato, cored, seeded and cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 slice firm, white bread (like a country-style loaf), about 1˝ thick, cubed (roughly 2 cups)*
• 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• ⅓ cup fruity Spanish olive oil (I used Arbequina olive oil)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Toppings

• 2 cups shredded manchego cheese
• 6 ounces jamón serrano (sub prosciutto if you can’t find jamón serrano), torn into small pieces
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bread, tomato and garlic on a small baking sheet and roast for 8–10 minutes. Add almonds to a baking sheet and roast for an additional 8 minutes, just until almonds are lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and set aside. Increase oven temp to 400°F
2. Fill a medium bowl with cold water. Shred potatoes, either with a food processor or by hand on a box grater. Immediately place shredded potatoes into water. Drain and rinse under running water until water runs clear.  Place a few handfuls of potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and wring dry.  Repeat until all of the potatoes are dry. 
3. In a medium bowl, toss potatoes with canola oil, salt and cheese. Spread potatoes on a large, parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 45-50 minutes, until crispy and browned.
4. While potatoes are roasting, make the sauce: Remove garlic cloves from paper skins and place into the bowl of a food processor with roasted peppers, almonds, tomato, vinegar, bread, paprika, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Pulse 5-7 times to break up the peppers and bread. Slowly stream in olive oil while the food processor is running, until sauce is smooth.
5. Spread sauce on hash brown crust, top with shredded manchego cheese, scallions and jamón serrano.
6. Return to oven for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and browned.

Notes:

*To keep this recipe gluten-free, omit bread from the sauce or use gluten-free bread.

• Rinsing the potatoes to remove starch helps to keep the hash browns crispy. Wringing out the water will help them to brown and get that delicious crunchy crust.
• To get a bit of char on the scallions, turn on the broiler for 5 minutes. It will brown the cheese a bit more, give the edges of the meat an extra crisp and scallions a smoky flavor.
• You will not find manchego pre-shredded. A one-pound piece will be sufficient for this recipe.