To make the puree smooth and airy, choose starchy varieties. These are round potatoes with light brown skin and light flesh. Starchy potatoes become very soft when cooked, which ensures the delicate consistency of the puree.

But it is better not to use potatoes with red skin. It does not boil so much, and the puree may end up with lumps.

What to put in mashed potatoes, except potatoes

Classic mashed potatoes would not be complete without cream. If you want the dish to have a sophisticated aroma, add a few sprigs of thyme, rosemary or other herbs to the liquid and heat over low heat.

Skillet.lifehacker.com

Another product that makes mashed potatoes tasty and airy is butter. Do not feel sorry for it and do not skimp when purchasing: the oil should be high in fat content. As an alternative, you can take refined sunflower or olive oil. However, the taste of the puree in this case will be slightly different.

skillet.lifehacker.com

Both milk and butter should be at room temperature. If they are cold, the potatoes will cool faster and the mashed potatoes will have to be stirred longer. This means that it may turn out sticky.

Some people add a few tablespoons of sour cream, mayonnaise, natural yogurt or grated cheese to mashed potatoes. You can also add a raw egg, fried onions or mushrooms for flavor.

If you want to give the mashed potatoes an unusual color, boil the potatoes along with beets, carrots or pumpkin.

Fresh herbs will add a special aroma to the finished puree. It can be stirred with the rest of the ingredients or sprinkled on the dish.

How to make mashed potatoes

Peel the tubers and cut them into equal large cubes. This way the potatoes will cook more evenly.

Place the cubes in a saucepan and fill with cold water so that it covers them by about 1 cm. Salt and put on fire.

By the way, people are still arguing about when to salt the puree. Alone Perfect Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes with Buttermilk, Black Pepper and Green Onion chefs salt at the beginning, others Emeril Lagasse's Garlic Mashed Potatoes- at the end, third Mashed Potatoes, Kind Of Robuchon-Style- after the water boils. Famous professionals also have divided opinions about what kind of water to put potatoes in: cold Perfect Mashed Potatoes or already boiling How to make mashed potatoes.

One thing is certain: the potatoes must be completely boiled. It is easier to check the degree of readiness with a knife. It should pierce the potato cube easily.

pluckytree/Flickr.com

When the potatoes are ready, drain the liquid from the pan, drain the cubes in a colander and dry them slightly. To do this, you need to put them back into the hot pan and leave for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. This will evaporate excess liquid from the potatoes, which is not needed at all in the puree.

Remember: the colder the potatoes, the more difficult it is to mash them.

The puree should not be mixed in a blender: because of this, it can become viscous, sticky and, of course, tasteless. It is better to make the puree by hand using a masher with holes. This won't take much effort because the starchy potatoes become very soft after boiling.

To prepare mashed potatoes from harder varieties, you can use a potato press. It will help get rid of lumps.

LexnGer/Flickr.com

Then you need to add the remaining ingredients to the puree and mix well. Do not waste time and effort on this if you want the puree to be airy. At the end, you can season the puree with spices to taste and mix everything again.

Bonus: 4 unusual mashed potato recipes

Stacy Spensley / flickr.com

Ingredients

• 400 g potatoes;
• 400 g cauliflower;
• 1 tablespoon butter;
• ½ cup cream;
• ¼ cup grated cheese;
• salt - to taste;
• a few sprigs of green onions.

Preparation

Let the potatoes cook. 10 minutes after the water boils, add the cauliflower florets and cook until tender.

Add butter, cream, cheese, salt to the mashed vegetables and mix well until smooth.

Before serving, sprinkle the puree with chopped green onions.

Ernesto Andrade / flickr.com

Ingredients

• 1 kg of potatoes;
• 1 onion;
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil;
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar;
• a few teaspoons of salt;
• ½ teaspoon sugar;
• 2 cups unsalted coconut milk;
• 1 tablespoon dried garlic.

Preparation

Boil the potatoes. Place the chopped onion in a frying pan with oil, add vinegar, a teaspoon of salt and sugar and cook for a few minutes. The onion should soften and turn golden brown.

Add garlic and fried onions to crushed potatoes. Mix well until smooth.

3. Baked potato and celery puree - Jamie Oliver's recipe

jamieoliver.com

Ingredients

• 4 potatoes;
• sea ​​salt - to taste;
• 300 g celery root;
• 1 head of garlic;
• 4 tablespoons olive oil;
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme;
• spices - to taste.

Preparation

Wash the potatoes and sprinkle with salt. Pierce the peel with a fork and place the tubers on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 190°C.

Chop the celery root into large pieces. Place it and the garlic cloves on baking paper, sprinkle with salt, pepper, pour two tablespoons of olive oil and mix with your hands. Wrap the paper to make a package.

Half an hour after you start cooking the potatoes, place the bundle on a baking sheet and bake for another 20–30 minutes. The potatoes and celery root should be completely baked.

Peel the potatoes, squeeze out the pulp of the baked garlic and mix these ingredients with the celery. Add thyme leaves, olive oil and mix well. Season the puree with spices.

finedininglovers.com

Ingredients

• 800 g potatoes;
• 500 g pumpkin;
• a little ghee;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• salt - to taste;
• 125 ml milk;
• 100 ml cream;
• 2 tablespoons butter;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• a little nutmeg;

Preparation

Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes and boil for 25-30 minutes. Heat ghee in a frying pan and fry chopped garlic in it.

Drain the liquid from the pan, dry the vegetables and add milk, cream and butter to them. Mix well, season with salt, pepper, garlic and nutmeg and stir again.

NICHOLAY MARK AMOS

How can I fry leftover puree?

Today I need some tips on reusing mashed potatoes. And not the “don’t do it” advice. I mean, how can I fry this?

So far I've pretty much limited my reuse of mashed potatoes to fried brownies, but I've found that it doesn't work so well with every mashed potato I come across. Sometimes it is either too dry or too wet. How can I fix this?

I usually add a little cheese to mine when I make it, but the people I live with keep it very simple and anything from crumbly to watery. For me, the crumbly ones were essentially useless because I don't know what I can do with it after it's done to make it all good again. For example, can I later add cheese or even an egg or some other binding agent so that it stays together in the pan long enough to seal and survive the slight manipulation of flipping the egg?

On the other hand, when it's really watery, what can I do about it? The limits of my knowledge of the thickeners available in your average kitchen are flour and gravox, but I haven't been playful enough to mix it with mashed potatoes and fry them since I had dry mashed potatoes and some leftover gravy. which I just mixed it all together and fried it, thinking of course it will all just mix together and be wonderful. But it was terrible. Not to mention it almost burned because the sauce seems to seal in much faster.

Edit. I'm really after any suggestion, not limited to frying. @Jefromi decided to edit my question to make it sound like I was only interested in how to fry it.

Jolenealaska ♦

You can bake it in potato bread, you can use it to thicken soup or sauce; and yes, you can add binders to make better pancakes. Leftover puree is actually a very versatile ingredient. Here's a link to the BBC with some ideas to get you started.

Optionparty

Hash or even Lefse come to mind.

Doug

Just use it as a puree? Heat it up with butter and cream... Professional kitchens always make the puree in bulk and use it over the next few days.

Doug

Also, dry mashed potatoes just need some oil added, but wet mashed potatoes need to be dried out somehow... I would say that if the mashed potatoes are wet, it's overcooked and garbage.

Cascabel♦

@NICHOLASMARKAMOS The only problem that arises is asking for a list of things that can be done with them. If the too wet/too dry thing applies to more than just frying, feel free to put it all here. But if you have 20 different problems with 20 different things you want to do, then by all means ask 20 questions.

Answers

Yamikuronue

For one half of your problem: You can add a little milk to dry mashed potatoes to moisten them if they are too dry to use in this application. The other half is a little trickier, but instant mashed potatoes can be used to "soak up" some of the moisture and make them drier.

Naels

When life throws lemons at you, make a lemonade!!

I know this saying is meant differently, but what I'm trying to start with is, when you have mashed potatoes on hand, try all of these delicious recipes that I'm going to offer here and now.

Let's start by saying that I'm assuming that the mashed potatoes we're talking about here are just potatoes (of course), a little butter and minimal dressing, say salt and pepper, and the texture is still sticky and not on the moist side. ! With this on hand, you can try the following recipes, given that you want more than frying mashed potatoes:

1. Leftover Mashed Potato Sandwich: Take a frying pan and add a little oil (2-3 drops) to it. When the oil is hot, add some tempering like cumin, chilli flakes, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, green chillies etc. (Mostly for taste). Then add the mash and fry everything together until the potatoes are a very light golden brown. You may need to stir it to prevent it from sticking to the pan. You can use this puree filling inside any veggie sandwich or sub. Simply sandwich a layer between slices of bread, add your favorite veggies and cheese, and you've got yourself a great sandwich.
2. Indian Potato Curry: If you love Indian food and have any Indian spices like cumin, asafoetida, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder in your cupboard then you can try making this quick curry. Start with the oil in a pan and let it heat up. Add cumin and let them crackle. Then add all these masala powders directly into the oil, then add potatoes, 2-3 spoons of yogurt and water and let everything boil. This can be eaten with hot rice or croutons!
3. Puff Potato Pasties Puff Puff Potato Pasties: If you buy puff pastry sheets and know how to use them, you can use potato sandwich mix and roll it into a puff pastry sheet and pop it in the oven to make a delicious snack!
4. Potato Patty: You can add some corn flour or refined wheat flour to the puree along with spices like chilli, garlic and other flavorings and make it into a dry batter. You can then form this dough into balls and flatten it until deep fried until dark golden brown. These patties can be used in a burger instead of meat patties.

Maybe I've given you enough ideas to try next time!

What could be simpler than potatoes? Boiled, fried and mashed... But the simplest dishes, as you know, turn out to be the most difficult to test. So, in order to deliciously fry potatoes or prepare tender mashed potatoes, you should know some culinary tricks, without which it is better not to approach the tubers.

AiF.ru has collected culinary secrets for you on how to prepare ideal potato dishes.

Preparation

When peeling potatoes, to prevent them from darkening, they should be placed in water with a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice added.

How to store more vitamins

How to cook

How to fry

Photo: Shutterstock.com

To get crispy potatoes, you need to remove the starch from the slices. To do this, sliced ​​potatoes are washed with water. Then dry with a paper towel.

To obtain a crust, you can also roll the slices in flour.

Place the potatoes in a heated frying pan and hot oil.

Do not put wet potatoes in hot oil. It will splash.

When frying, potatoes should be salted when the slices are browned on all sides.

To make the potatoes crispy, you do not need to cover them with a lid. And you don't need to stir it often.

How to make puree

Photo: Shutterstock.com

For mashed potatoes, you need to take potatoes that boil well and contain a lot of starch.

Only hot milk should be added to mashed potatoes; cold mashed potatoes turn gray and tasteless.

If the puree is too thin, achieve the desired thickness by adding a spoonful of potato starch.

The puree will turn out especially tasty if you add whipped egg whites to it at the last moment before serving.

To make the puree tender and fluffy, the potatoes need not only to be crushed and mashed, but also beaten with a blender or mixer.

How to cook pancakes

When preparing potato pancakes or potato pancakes. To remove excess mucus from grated potatoes, squeeze them thoroughly through cheesecloth.

Miscellaneous

If you steam cold potatoes in their jackets, they will become as if they were freshly boiled.

Potatoes boiled in their skins will become fresh again if you steam them.

Boiled potatoes with their skins will be easier to peel if you immediately soak them in cold water for a couple of minutes.

Purees can be made in different ways. But in any case, this dish turns out very tasty and satisfying. It can be served as an original appetizer or as a meat dish. Today we will present two different cooking options, one of which involves frying in a frying pan in vegetable oil, and the other - baking in the oven.

Mashed potato balls: step-by-step recipe

To make something this original, you need to prepare the following products in advance:

• coarse table salt - add to taste;
• odorless sunflower oil - 150 ml (for frying);
• chicken eggs - 4 pcs.;
• potato tubers - approximately 1.3 kg.

Preparing the base

Mashed potato balls will turn out tasty and tender only if the vegetable base is homogeneous and without a single lump. To do this, you need to peel the tubers, cut them in half lengthwise, place them in boiling salted water and cook for about half an hour until completely soft. Next, the broth must be drained, and immediately add 2 chicken eggs to the hot vegetables and mash everything thoroughly using a masher. As a result of these actions, you should have a fairly thick but homogeneous puree.

The process of forming and frying products

Before frying mashed potato balls, they should be formed correctly. To do this, you need to take a thick base without lumps in your hands in the amount of 1-2 dessert spoons. Next, you need to roll the puree into a neat and beautiful ball. After all the products are ready, they should be completely dipped in pre-beaten chicken eggs, and then thoroughly rolled in breadcrumbs.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the formation of such semi-finished products. After they are completely ready, you need to pour them into a deep saucepan and heat it up very high. Finally, place all the mashed potato balls into the boiling oil. By carefully turning them over with a spoon or spatula, you should achieve complete redness, after which the dish should be placed on paper napkins, thereby depriving it of fat.

Correct serving to the table

Fried potato balls are recommended to be served as a snack or side dish only when hot. They can be sprinkled with chopped fresh herbs on top, and also doused with a thin stream of ketchup or mayonnaise. Bon appetit!

Cooking a similar dish in the oven

Potato balls in the oven turn out just as tasty and satisfying as those fried in sunflower oil. However, this dish is less fatty and high in calories. In this regard, it is recommended for those who especially watch their figure.

So, we will need:

• coarse table salt, ground allspice - add to taste;
• odorless sunflower oil - 20 ml (for greasing the baking sheet);
• fine breadcrumbs - about 120 g;
• hard cheese - 75-80 g (add as desired);
• chicken eggs - 2 pcs.;
• potato tubers - approximately 1.4 kg.

Preparing the base

Such balls are prepared in the same way as described above. However, there is still a difference in the creation of these unusual products. Thus, you should peel the potato tubers, boil them in salted water, and then drain the broth, pepper, add fresh chicken eggs and grind into a homogeneous and airy puree using a kitchen device such as a blender.

Forming and baking products

While the mashed potatoes have not completely cooled, form small balls out of them. To do this, you need to take 1.5 or 2 dessert spoons of the vegetable base in your hands. Next, the miniature bun must be rolled on all sides in fine breadcrumbs.

After all the semi-finished products are ready, they should be placed on a large baking sheet, which is recommended to be greased with sunflower oil in advance. If desired, you can place a thin slice of hard cheese on top of each ball. In this composition, the products must be placed in a hot oven, where it is advisable to keep them for at least 20 minutes. During this time, the balls will be covered with a golden brown crust, and the cheese will melt and beautifully spread throughout the potato bun.

After 20 minutes, the dish should be carefully placed on a large plate using a spatula or flat spoon.

How to properly present it to the table?

Potato balls made in the oven must be served to guests only when hot. Additionally, you can present them with fried or boiled meat, poultry, goulash or a salad of raw vegetables.

It should be especially noted that such products will turn out much tastier if their base consists not only of potato tubers and eggs, but, for example, sautéed vegetables (onions, bell peppers and carrots), aromatic spices, fried mushrooms, finely chopped olives or olives, ham and other ingredients.

fried mashed potatoes rich in vitamins and minerals such as: vitamin B6 - 13.5%, vitamin C - 12.6%, potassium - 16.9%, cobalt - 58.6%, copper - 12.8%, molybdenum - 11.2 %, chromium - 17.8%

Benefits of fried puree

• Vitamin B6 participates in maintaining the immune response, processes of inhibition and excitation in the central nervous system, in the transformation of amino acids, the metabolism of tryptophan, lipids and nucleic acids, promotes the normal formation of red blood cells, maintaining normal levels of homocysteine ​​in the blood. Insufficient intake of vitamin B6 is accompanied by decreased appetite, impaired skin condition, and the development of homocysteinemia and anemia.
• Vitamin C participates in redox reactions, the functioning of the immune system, and promotes the absorption of iron. Deficiency leads to loose and bleeding gums, nosebleeds due to increased permeability and fragility of blood capillaries.
• Potassium is the main intracellular ion that takes part in the regulation of water, acid and electrolyte balance, participates in the processes of conducting nerve impulses and regulating pressure.
• Cobalt is part of vitamin B12. Activates enzymes of fatty acid metabolism and folic acid metabolism.
• Copper is part of enzymes that have redox activity and are involved in iron metabolism, stimulates the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates. Participates in the processes of providing oxygen to the tissues of the human body. Deficiency is manifested by disturbances in the formation of the cardiovascular system and skeleton, and the development of connective tissue dysplasia.
• Molybdenum is a cofactor for many enzymes that ensure the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids, purines and pyrimidines.
• Chromium participates in the regulation of blood glucose levels, enhancing the effect of insulin. Deficiency leads to decreased glucose tolerance.

still hide

You can see a complete guide to the most useful products in the appendix.