Potato Croquettes
Crocchette di patate
Makes 16 croquettes
G: My mom was a very busy schoolteacher, and on Saturdays, she worked half a day in the morning. She would finish her job, pick my brother, Fabio, and me up from our school, drive to the local rosticceria, and buy roast chicken and potato croquettes for lunch. On the way home, the aroma of the chicken and potatoes would drive us crazy, and we would tear into them when we got to the table. Croquettes are basically fried mashed potatoes, but what mashed potatoes! If you can, serve the croquettes hot out of the oil; however, they can also be cooled and warmed up in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes. After all, that’s what Mom did.
- 2 pounds baking potatoes, such as russets, peeled
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- A few gratings of whole nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- Finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot, add cold salted water to cover by 1 inch, and cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 20 to 25 minutes, depending on their size. Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Let the potatoes cool completely, uncovered, for at least 2 hours, or overnight. It’s fine if the surface dries out. You want the potatoes as dry as possible.
2. Run the potatoes through a potato ricer or a food mill fitted with the coarse blade into a large bowl. (Or rub the potatoes through a coarse mesh sieve with a wooden spoon.) Mix in the Parmigiano, eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
3. Spread the flour in a shallow bowl. Beat the eggs well in a second bowl. Spread the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Generously dust a baking sheet with flour and place it near the work area. Line a platter with parchment or waxed paper.
4. Coat your hands with flour. One at a time, shape about 3 tablespoons of the potato mixture into fat finger shapes, about 3 inches long with rounded ends, and transfer to the baking sheet. Roll the cylinder in the flour to help shape it into a neat log. Dip each in the eggs to coat, roll in the breadcrumbs to coat, and place on the parchment-paper-lined platter. Repeat until all of the mixture has been used. Let the croquettes stand while heating the oil.
Reprinted with permission from “Super Tuscan” by Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos. Copyright 2017. Published by Touchstone, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.
