Weird coincidences do happen sometimes, like the fact that I was born in Minsk, Belarus and my husband was born in Pinsk, Belarus, but we actually met in NY state. Our Belorussian heritage could be why we share very similar tastebuds. When it comes to an indulgent breakfast that we both love, it usually includes hash browns, eggs and bacon. One of the stereotypes of Belorussians did come true for both of us, we are admittedly "bulbyashi" to the core. (Bulbyashi - "бульбаши" is a play on the Belorussian word for potato , "bulba", if you're not familiar with the Russian language.) It looks like our son is following in our footsteps. Nathaniel loves potatoes.
On one of those relaxing weekend mornings, I got struck with the idea of recreating this common breakfast into something completely different - stuffed hash browns. After trying it out and tasting the results, both Sergi and I agreed that this was such a great idea. It's basically like a big, inside-out omelet, since the eggs are encased inside the potatoes. Isn't that pretty cool?
The potatoes are perfectly golden and crisp wrapped around a filling of soft scrambled eggs, bacon and lots of gooey, melted cheese. What a neat package. One of these ginormous "stuffed hash browns" or "inside out omelets" (whatever you want to call it) is enough to feed two, so it's a great way to start off a romantic weekend.
Ingredients:
1 lbs potatoes (I used Yukon Gold), peeled and grated, 2 packed cups
2 Tablespoons oil (plus ½ teaspoon for the eggs)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon crumbled cooked bacon
½ Tablespoon fresh green onions
¼ cup grated Mozzarella cheese (or any other cheese)
salt, ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Prep all the ingredients so that they will be ready to go once you start cooking the hash browns.
In a 10 inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the grated potatoes, pressing them down.
Normally when I'm making hash browns, I like to rinse out some of the starch first and then wring out as much moisture as possible, so that the potatoes are nice and fluffy. In this case, you actually WANT the potatoes to stick together, so you need to leave all the starch from the potatoes in there and press the potatoes together as much as possible. 
Season with salt and ground black pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes on medium high heat, just until the underside of the potatoes softens and turns slightly golden.
Turn the potatoes over to the other side. You might need to use two spatulas. If the potatoes don't stay all in one piece, don't panic; it will still work out in the end. Flip it over, squish all the pieces together again, and the torn pieces should still adhere to each other while they are cooking on the other side. If the potato layer cracks even with all your best efforts, it will still taste great.
Season the other side with salt and ground black pepper.
In another skillet, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil until shimmering, add the slightly beaten eggs, season with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Cook on low heat just until the eggs are scrambled but still somewhat underdone. The eggs will continue to cook in the center of the potatoes.
Spread the partially cooked eggs over half of the hash browns in the other skillet. Top with the crumbled bacon, green onions and grated cheese.
You can be as creative as you want with your filling. Other possibilities: Sautéed mushrooms, peppers, onions, different herbs, broccoli, zucchini, sausage, ham, spinach, avocado, salsa, tomatoes, etc.
Fold the other half of the hash brown layer over the filling. 
Cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately.
Stuffed Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 1 lbs potatoes I used Yukon Gold, peeled and grated, 2 packed cups
- 2 Tablespoons oil plus ½ teaspoon for the eggs
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 Tablespoon crumbled cooked bacon
- ½ Tablespoon fresh green onions
- ¼ cup grated Mozzarella cheese or any other cheese
- salt ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep all the ingredients so that they will be ready to go once you start cooking the hash browns.
- In a 10 inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the grated potatoes, pressing them down. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes on medium high heat, just until the underside of the potatoes softens and turns slightly golden.
- Turn the potatoes over to the other side. Season the other side with salt and ground black pepper.
- In another skillet, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil until shimmering, add the slightly beaten eggs (season with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Cook on low heat just until the eggs are scrambled but still halfway underdone.
- Spread the partially cooked eggs over half of the hash browns in the other skillet. Top with the crumbled bacon, green onions and grated cheese.
- Fold the other half of the hash brown layer over the filling. Cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately.
Notes
Oh my, can’t wait to try this soon! What a great idea. And yes, gotta love carbs! 😁
I hope you enjoy it, Nelya:).
This recipe is so good! I made it for breakfast today, and my husband and I loved it.
It looks so delicious....
Oh really that's so cute lol awwwww cool btw vi make this quite often now soooooo very scrumptious and really way filling
I did a different spin on this, and wow,I must say it came out really seriously awesomely good. I had leftover potatoes from Shabbat (the Sabbath), and used them for the hash. I also threw in diced onion. Potatoes and onions what could be better lol, a very Russian thing. I sauteed them in 2 tablespoons of butter and a little grapeseed oil and then after poured the egg mixture in let everything set and then sprinkled with cheese and it was sooooooo very scrumptious and really very yummy. I love cheese, such a cheese addict @ heart
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Tzivia. Potatoes and onions are a favorite combination of mine.
Guess we have a lot in common gurl. @ I've gotten older, I've grown a love for potatoes, also been influenced from dad overtime. He grew up with potatoes @ the main staple. He's from north Carolina, but, for a good number of years during his childhood, he grew up very poor, and potatoes were a luxury for him and the rest of the family. I kind of remember my paternal grandmother making something like this for breakfast or brunch when we spent most of August down there. Except she would always make a separate one for me @ i didn't really care for cheese, (was a very picky eater @ a kid). She grew up eating something like that @ did my grandfather, her parents were from kovno Lithuania and nu grandfather's parents were from davinsk Latvia. In a sense I'm really tapping into mu Russian heritage , and that makes me feel so good and really very proud. Keep it goin hun
That's awesome! Good for you. I always feel so nostalgic and happy when I get back to my roots.
Awwww ur such a sweetheart, guess we love keeping our Russian heritage alive, big brownie points for that, and ur son will get the best of both worlds, btw he's a very cute little boy, and I think he looks like ur hubby
I think so too:). He got a lot of my husband's traits for sure.
mmmm It's like filled "draniki" I'm going do it!!!!
YES! Which I totally love too, so it made sense to make this Stuffed Hash Brown version too:).
Love your idea Olga! Going to give this recipe a try. Looks delish! I can eat potatoes any time of the day in any form or shape also. Lol. Even though my dad was from Ukraine, he also called potatoes "bulba".
Thanks for sharing your brilliant idea. It's almost like a breakfast burrito, but in potatoes instead of a tortilla :-). Cute how your little guy likes potatoes as well.
Ha ha. Bulba. Yep. Isn't it awesome.
Yes, Nathaniel is totally a potato lover. Great description; it IS like a burrito. I hope you enjoy it.
Mmmmm..... Can't wait to try it.
This looks YUMMY!
Thank you, Bonnie.
This recipe is everything I want for my weekend brunch!! Such a wonderfully creative idea, Olga! Pinning it because my husband would be totally crazy about it. You know what is another weird coincidence? My mom is from Lvov in Ukraine and Brad's grandpa was born outside of Lvov, when the area was still a part of Austro-Hungarian Empire. We met in the States and it wasn't until a few months into out relationship we discovered that connection. The world is weirdly small!!
What a cool story, Julia. I love finding out random little bits about people that make us who we are:).
I hope you enjoy this breakfast. My husband is a huge fan. We've had it several times while I was testing the recipe, and it's an awesome one for a "Breakfast for dinner" type of meal too:).
Thanks for the winderful idea. Will try it this weekend. Greetings from Ukrainian in WA state
As a Belorussian girl myself, I also LOVE potatoes. I can eat them for every meal. So obviously I love this recipe. I'll definitely have to give this a try next time I'm making a large, indulgent breakfast. Thanks Olga!
It's nice to meet a fellow Belorussian, Alla:). I hope you'll enjoy this recipe.