Hash Browns Bacon Pie (Titkuš)
Hash browns bacon pie (titkuš) is a savory delight you must try! This hearty dish is made with grated potatoes and diced bacon combined to make a crispy yet soft, flavorful pie baked to golden perfection. Shall we?
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Background
What happens when you combine grated potatoes, grated onions, and diced bacon? Hash browns bacon pie, that's what!
Known regionally as titkuš (and by many other names), this dish is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a comforting dinner. It promises a satisfying bite of classic comfort food in every single slice.
An upgraded version of one of our favorites (remember hash browns potato pie (kljukuša)?), today's pie is a protein-inspired bacon version.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients to make the hash potato bacon pie (titkuš).
- Potatoes: look for starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold. Avoid red, or fingerlings.
- Bacon: about 5-6 slices if using prepackaged, or about 1.5-2.5 oz (50-70grams). Substitute with dried beef or cubed ham.
- Onions: white or yellow. Avoid red.
- Flour: regular, white flour is best. (If you decide to use substitutes like almond flour, let us know in the comments.)
- Oil: sunflower, vegetable, avocado, coconut oil or lard. Avoid olive oil.
- Butter: regular butter, ghee, or lard work well.
- Eggs.
- Milk: regular or soy milk.
- (Optional) Butter.
Instructions
Here are super easy instructions to make the hash brown bacon pie (titkuš).
Step 1. Preheat oven. Peel and grate onion and potato and squeeze the starch out.
Step 2. Heat a greased pan. Combine ingredients into a bowl, add bacon and seasonings. Mix well.
Step 3. Take the pan out of the oven (carefully). Evenly distribute the batter inside.
Step 4. Bake.
Step 5. (Optional) For a softer pie, spread a tablespoon of butter on top.
Handling
- Serving: serve hash brown bacon pie as hot as you can handle it. (Some people like it colder though, so adjust to your preference.)
- Storing: at room temperature for a few hours, and transfer to the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Discard after that time. (Kljukuša is best the same day you make it.)
- Heating: reheat using your preferred method.
More Potato 💙
You've had our hash brown bacon pie and decided you need more potatoes in your life? Here are some ideas:
Thoughts?
If you make today's hash browns pie with bacon (titkuš) and like it, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This will help others find the recipe more easily!
You can also leave a comment, I read EVERY one! Finally, if IG is more your thing, consider tagging us @balkanlunchbox.
Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Hash Brown Bacon Pie (Titkuš)
Equipment
- 1 (a recommendation only) 12-inch round pan, or 12-inch square pan equivalent. Sizing isn't set in stone, similar pan sizes will all work. The batter should be the thickness of a ring finger once it's spread out in the pan.
Ingredients
Hash Browns Bacon Pie Batter
- 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil substitute with sunflower, avocado or coconut oil, but avoid olive oil
- 4 potatoes (about 1 pound) medium
- 2 yellow or white onions smaller
- 2 eggs
- 4-5 pieces of bacon (about 1.5-2.5 ounces) minced; substitute with ham or dried beef
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 6 tablespoons white flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- (Optional) 1-2 tablespoon powder stock or Vegeta, bouillon cube, or a mix of your favorite seasonings
- (Optional) 1 tablespoons butter
(Optional) Topping
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 8-10 ounces sour cream substitute with kajmak (clotted cream), thick yogurt, skyr and/ or buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 480°F (250°C). Peel and grate potatoes and onion. Squeeze grated potatoes and onions to get as much liquid out as possible. Do this at least once or twice.
- Transfer grated veggies to a big bowl. Add bacon and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well until the batter is completely integrated. Generously grease a baking pan on all sides, and place it in the oven to warm up (about 2 minutes).
- Carefully take the pan out of the oven, and transfer the batter into it. Use a spatula to distribute it evenly in the pan. Return to the oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes, and turn the pan around about halfway. Then lower the temperature to 390°F(200°C), and bake for another 10 minutes. (Total baking time is about 30 min.)* You can lower it even more, or cover it with parchment paper.
- (Optional) Take the pie out and spread butter over it. Leave it to cool down a little bit. You can break it apart with your hands, or with a knife. Additionally, mix sour cream and garlic and use it to top the pie.
- Serve hash brown bacon pie as hot as you can handle it. (Some people like it colder though, so adjust to your preference.) Store at room temperature for a few hours, and transfer to the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Discard after that time. (Kljukuša is best the same day you make it.) Reheat using your preferred method.
Video
Notes
- Temperature
- Serving Size
- Nutritional Information
You make it sound so easy! I love the photo layout!
I need to make this tonight sans the bacon but I still think hubby would like it -
Aida - is Sarma always made with sour cabbage? I bought 3 cabbages at the store yesterday thinking my father in law could make them into sour 🥬… well I guess that is only done during the fall and winter - I felt like an idiot. So now now have a lot of cabbage - I might make a cabbage salad - I saw the recipe - one think I like about the Balkan cuisine is that it can be done affordably - I mean not all recipes of course but many are for the budget 😂
Sarah,
I'm not crazy about stuffed cabbage with fresh leaves, the taste is much better with sour. However, here's a link to my friend Jas' website. Her recipes are always spot on and delicious! She explains how you can use fresh leaves. (She has some amazing recipes from Bosnia too, you should check her out.)
https://www.all-thats-jas.com/bosnian-cabbage-rolls-sarma/
Oh, and here's a non bacon version of this: https://balkanlunchbox.com/hashbrown-potato-pie-kljukusa/
Glad the photos are helpful!
I think you are right about it tasting better with sour Cabbage - now I know why it’s such a delicacy - as is Pita - because a lot of time and effort go into the food. I just checked out Ja’s website - thank you! But I felt disloyal in someway 😂 I’m like this is good but I like Balkan Lunchbox…
Ps - im making grah right now but with ground beef because I can never get to the European store - I have to go in with a big old wagon and my 2 small children - but I think it will be good… oko bog da 😊
Jas is fantastic, and we recommend her highly! It's where we go to when we're out of ideas for cooking 🙂
Chewy, crisp and moist, full of flavor, easy to shop for. I made it in an all metal nonstick pan. I'm going back for a second piece.
Hi Bill!
Glad you liked it. Thank you for your comment. Hope Patty enjoyed it too.
Talk soon!
-Aida