Potato Spinach Fongos with Cheese
A perfect example of Latin American Sephardic fusion — golden, cheesy, and deeply satisfying.
The word fongo comes from Judeo-Spanish, or Ladino, and it means mushroom. The Iberian Jews who settled in the Ottoman Empire developed this dish by merging their food knowledge from medieval Spain with local ingredients and customs. Also called Fiongo, this delectable treat comes from Smyrna, Turkey, arriving in the Americas through the hands of Sephardic immigrants from Rhodes, Thessaloniki, and beyond.
The exact origin is probably rooted in Fritada de Ispinaka, a spinach frittata eaten during Shabbat and on Passover in the Venetian Jewish community. It is the kind of dish that moves quietly, passed between generations without fanfare and rarely written down.
- 450 gfresh spinachwashed and finely chopped
- 6medium potatoes
- 120 gcottage cheese
- 120 gricotta cheese
- 100 gParmesan cheesefinely grated, plus extra for topping
- 120 mlheavy cream
- 4eggs
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 3 tbspunsalted butter
- —salt and black pepperto taste
As featured on
Aish ↗Wash the spinach well and pat dry with cloth or paper towels to absorb all water. Chop into fine pieces and transfer to a bowl.
Boil the potatoes in their skins in hot water for about 20 minutes until soft when pierced with a fork. Remove the skins and mash in a separate bowl.
Add the butter and cottage cheese to the mashed potatoes and mix to a smooth purée.
Mix the spinach with the heavy cream, three-quarters of the mashed potato, one cup of Parmesan, the cottage cheese, and the ricotta. Season with salt and pepper.
Beat the 4 eggs and fold into the spinach mixture until combined.
Pour the mixture into an oiled round or square baking pan (23–25 cm / 9–10 in) with a minimum height of 6 cm (2½ in).
Make a few small wells near the perimeter of the pan and insert the remaining mashed potato inside, creating a mushroom shape. Top each with a small knob of butter and grate some Parmesan over the top.
Bake at 190°C (375°F) for about 25 minutes until the frittata is set, then increase to 200°C (400°F) for 5 more minutes until the potato mushrooms are golden brown.
Serve cold, cut into wedges, with pickles or a Greek salad.
All the moisture must be gone before mixing — even a small amount of residual water can make the frittata collapse or stay wet in the centre. Use a clean cloth to wring it out.
The small potato mounds pressed into the top are both visual and functional — they create crunchy, golden caps while anchoring the baked texture. Take your time forming them.
This is traditionally served cold or at room temperature, which actually improves the texture and lets the flavours settle. Make it a day ahead and refrigerate.