Potato Straw Cake

• 1½ lb potatoes, peeled
• 4 oz unsalted butter
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Shred the potatoes to spaghetti through the medium blade of a mouli-julienne or food processor. Rinse in a basin of water, drain and roll tightly in a kitchen towel to dry.

Melt half the butter in a heavy frying pan over low to medium heat. Pack in the potatoes, smoothing the surface and edges carefully with the back of a fork, and season the surface. Place strips of butter all around t