Potato Patties
September 12, 2006
I love to eat mashed potatoes, but often times I get carried away and I end up boiling too many potatoes. I usually leave these sad, naked little tubers in the refrigerator and never look at them again until they need to be tossed into the rubbish bin. So, to avoid another tragic execution I decided to put some leftover potatoes to work as faux potato latkes. The "refried" critters are a great side dish or snack and complement a soup, or go well with fried eggs (mmm).
You will need:
- 2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes
- 2 eggs, well blended
- handful of chopped Italian parsley
- handful of finely diced onions (red or green)
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- oil for frying and a good frying pan (cast iron works best)
Step One: Mix the potatoes and half the egg mixture together to form a sticky consistency. Use a potato masher or fork to do this as an electric blender will make the mixture too liquidy. Add the remaining egg mixture if consistency is too dry and patties will not form in your hand. Add the parsley, onions, garlic, and mix well.
Step Two: In a cast iron pan, place enough vegetable oil in the pan to rise 1/2 inch. Heat this oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Step Three: Form small handfuls of the potato mixture in your hand to make patties. Fry the patties in the oil for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Consider adding things to these patties to make them hardier, such as peas or diced carrots. There are also several herbs and spices that can make these potato patties more savory, so experiment away.
