Potato cakes are probably the best use of left over mashed potato. Indeed, to make these the potato must be just that. These are always, or so I’m told, best done using cold potato made up the night before. This must be because they hold their shape a lot better. However, fear not; pre-cooked potato isn’t a requirement – the flavour of the resultant cakes will not be diminished if a recently poached spud is let loose.
Really and truly one can do anything one pleases with potato cakes. By that I mean you can put in them what you please and you may eat with them what you want – I’ve seen other cooks use spinach or even haddock. I also find, and I think I’ve mentioned this before, that if you boil a potato it is always best to do it with the skin on. This way you “lock in” all the flavour and all the goodness of the potato. Added to that, if you boil potatoes using this method they are incredibly easy to peel – the skin just falls away. These take no time at all to cook.
Potato Cakes {recipe}
Makes 6
Ingredients:
- 7-8 good sized potatoes, roughly 700-800g
- 50g extra mature cheddar, any strong flavoured cheese to hand will do
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- just enough plain flour to bind them, roughly 2 tbsp
- knob of butter and slosh of milk
- salt and pepper
- oil for frying
- Prepare the mashed potatoes the night before, or at least a few hours before, cooking. Add everything to the mash, mix thoroughly.
- Shape the mixture into six “burgers” roughly an inch thick. Heat up some oil, preferably olive, in a frying pan and fry on each side until golden brown. This should take roughly 4-5 minutes a side.
- Serve on top of a salad with some mayonnaise, or sauce of your choice.
They look lovely.
Why, thankyou!
I am VERY keen on the potato cake. Nice with sausages
I am very keen on them too. We were thinking of having meat with them, but then remembered we were on our veggie week, so we couldn’t
This is just like an Ecuadorian dish called llapingachos
Soo yummy with a fried egg on top
I can imagine that, also didn’t know that I shall look it up.
Ooooh… I can even see it with some grilled chicken, or for breakfast with ham or bacon and eggs. Yum. Thanks for the idea!
Totally, they would go with so many things. Just another great way of having potato really.
Hello potato cakes! Holy yum! I boil my potatoes the same way. Can’t figure out why I used to peel and quarter them. Nicely done Frugal!
Exactly! Good stuff, Somer!
I love potato cakes! I usually put salmon in mine. I’ve never had them just plain, though, but I will soon – they look delicious.
Sounds fishy to me
Scrumptious and completely addictive…pity I can’t have them at the moment…I will have to lust after them for a bit longer
. I rice them because it results in a much drier more mealy potato mix. I haven’t had any problems with them falling apart since I started ricing the spud.
I haven’t a ricer, I need one – good tip, Fran!