We buy the popular frozen hash brown patties from Trader Joe’s, and they can also be found in the frozen breakfast areas at larger grocery retailers. If you cannot find them, tater tots will work, or even a bag of shredded hash browns. If using shredded hash browns, simply toss them in oil and bake until golden brown, and then proceed with the recipe from the pressing step.

Hugh and I disagreed on this, so I’ll let you make the decision. I did a single layer of hash browns, and he thinks it could have handled a double layer, especially since you press them down. With the single layer, it’s there, but not super potatoe-y. If you add a second layer of hash browns, I don’t think anything regarding timing would change besides perhaps adding 5 minutes to that first bake of the hash browns, and it should result in a more significant potato layer.

I know we all love a make-ahead moment for Christmas morning and whipping up the egg filling the day ahead would be a great time saver here. You could cut down on most of your prep time with that and be left with just the baking steps.

If you are feeding a bigger group, this multiplies by two to fit into a 9x13 pan. Use the same baking time, simply adjust by baking it covered for the first half of the 35 minutes so it doesn’t dry out. Just watch the center to test for doneness.