• Preheat the oven to 425°F, setting rack to middle setting.

Making the Hash Brown Base

• Rinse potatoes, then grate them with large holes of cheese grater. Either soak them in cold water, or rinse them under running water for a bit. Drain out any excess water and pat as dry as possible using paper towel or tea towel. I like to use a strainer to press out excess starch water.
• Measure out 2 ½ cups shredded potatoes and transfer them to a medium-sized bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to season lightly.

  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a 9" cast iron skillet (or oven safe skillet) and then add the potatoes. Press them down firm and flat.

  Bake the potatoes at 425°F for about 25-30 minutes, meanwhile make the egg mixture.

Make the Egg Mixture

• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, seasonings, parsley, and ¾ cup of the cheese. Add any additions of your choosing.
• Once the hash brown base has baked, safely remove it from the oven. Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F.

  Drizzle olive oil around the edges of the hash browns, then sprinkle on the remaining ½ cup of cheese. Pour the egg mixture on top.
• Place the skillet back in the oven, even if the temperature hasn't gone down to 350°F. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
• Let cool for a few minutes before cutting into pie slices and serving. Serve with salsa or a salsa verde!