Creamy Italian Sausage Topped Potato Pancakes

Total Time: 31 mins Preparation Time: 6 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 cups simply potatoes® shredded hash browns
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, divided
• 2 -3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 lb hot italian sausage, casing removed
• 1 red bell pepper, seeds and veins removed, diced
• 3 cups packed fresh baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces goat cheese
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• additional fresh basil (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, mix together the potatoes, green onions, parmesan cheese, eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, set aside.
• 2 in a large non-stick skillet or griddle, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat. measure out 1/3 cup of potato mixture, drop into heated skillet, spread out into a 3 1/2” to 4” round. continue this process using the remaining potato mixture, making a total of 8 potato pancakes. cook until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes, flip pancakes over and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, approximately another 2 - 3 minutes. add additional 1 - 2 tablespoons oil, if needed. remove to plate, season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; keep warm. (depending on size of skillet you may need to cook potato pancakes in 2 batches.).
• 3 heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. add in the sausage and red bell pepper and cook until sausage is cooked through, approximately 4 - 5 minutes, being sure to break up sausage into small pieces as it cooks. add in the spinach and continuing cooking, just until spinach begins to wilt. transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.
• 4 in the same skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. add in the shallot and garlic and cook for 1 - 2 minutes until shallot begins to soften. add in the goat cheese and cream and cook until goat cheese has melted, stirring constantly. add in the reserved sausage mixture, remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and the chopped basil; mix to fully combine.
• 5 to serve, stagger 2 potato pancakes on serving plate, top with sausage mixture, garnish with additional fresh basil.