Potatoes can be considered with good reason the queens of the contours, even if they do not serve only for this. With potatoes you can prepare a whole menu and there are a thousand ways to prepare them. They are used all over the world in the most diverse ways and it is difficult even to make a choice about the recipes to propose as there are so many. Let’s start with the classic contour that we all love and always enjoy willingly.
Roasted potatoes in the oven
It is the classic side dish that adapts to many types of second dishes, especially to roasts both meat and fish. It is important to choose the type of potato well. For this dish, yellow potatoes are recommended, which tend to remain firmer and more compact.
Necessary for roast potatoes in the oven
- 1 kilogram of potatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- a few sage leaves
- know and pepper just enough
- abundant olive oil
It is advisable to use a non-stick pan, as potatoes tend to stick very much and it is also recommended not to mix potatoes in the first 10 minutes of cooking.
Preparation for roast potatoes in the oven
wash and peel the potatoes, cut them into not very small pieces trying to make them the usual size. Now chop the garlic, rosemary sprig, sage and add salt and pepper. With this mince, season the potatoes that you will have put in the baking soil with about 100 grams of olive oil and put in the oven already hot at 180 degrees for about 40/45 minutes or until we have assumed a nice golden color. Serve always as soon as removed from the oven.
Mashed potatoes
It’s soft, it’s dense and it’s creamy. It is one of the second favorites of children but also that pleases adults. It is the ideal side dish for roasted and stewed meats, but also for the simple slice of meat cooked with oil or for a burger.
For this preparation, too, it is important to choose the type of potato to use. The ideal is a white potato.
Necessary for mashed potatoes
- 1 kilogram of potatoes
- 100 grams of butter at room temperature
- 300 grams of whole milk
- salt as needed
- 30 grams of grated Parmesan cheese
- nutmeg just enough.
Preparing mashed potatoes
Wash the potatoes and without removing the peel, cook in plenty of water for about 40 minutes.
When the water boils, turn down the heat to prevent the potatoes from breaking and absorbing too much water.
Remove the freshly removed peel from the water and pass it into the potato masher. Heat the milk a little until it is lukewarm and add it to the potatoes that you will have put in a pan in the meantime.
Slowly add all the milk to the mashed potatoes, salt and at this point put the butter that you will have chopped and stir until it has melted completely. Last thing, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and stir again. Serve warm.
Potato omelette
Another classic side dish that being substantial can also be a complete second dish.
Potato omelette required
- 600 grams of potatoes (recommended yellow pasta ones that better keep cooking)
- 6 eggs at room temperature
- 120 grams of grated Parmesan cheese
- salt, pepper and nutmeg just enough
- olive oil just enough
- a little chopped parsley.
Preparing potato omelette
Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them into rather fine rounds and put them for about ten minutes in boiling salted water.
Remove from the water and dry them. Meanwhile, in a bowl beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg and then add the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Mix everything well and at this point combine the potatoes, stirring again.
In a fairly large frying pan, (I suggest 26 or 28 centimeters) put a few tablespoons of olive oil and how hot it will be add the egg mixture with potatoes.
Cook for about ten minutes by moving the omelette often to prevent it from sticking to the bottom and then with the help of a lid or a large plate turn it and cook for about 10 minutes more. The potato omelette is yummy both warm and left to cool.
A tasty variation is to put half a chopped onion in the oil and brown it before putting the mixture with potatoes and eggs.
Parmesan cheese can also be changed with chopped cheese, like scamorza and caciotta.
Famous all over the world is the potato tortilla, one of the typical Spanish dishes. It is very simple to prepare. The difference with our omelette is that the potatoes should be cut into the thinst slices possible and put to fry in abundant seed oil for about 8/10 minutes.
At this point we add to the potatoes a medium onion cut also thin slices and let cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and try to dry the vegetables well from the seed oil. Beat the eggs, add salt and pepper and the potatoes and onions. Mix well and put everything to cook in a rather large nonstick pan with a little seed oil.
Potato croquettes
A very good side dish for all kinds of meat, but also a delicious starter.
For this recipe we start as always with using the potatoes most suitable for the preparation. For the croquettes are indicated the white dough because they are more floury and tend to flake.
Necessary for potato croquettes
- 600 grams of potatoes
- 3 whole eggs
- breadcrumbs as much as it takes
- peanut seed oil just enough.
- grated Parmesan cheese
- a pinch of salt
- a few leaves of chopped parsley.
Preparing potato croquettes
Cook the potatoes with the peel in plenty of salted water for about 30 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes).
Once cooked, remove the peel and pass in a potato masher. In a bowl beat two eggs with a couple of tablespoons of parmesan cheese and a small teaspoon of chopped parsley. Salt and mix well. A firm dough must come, easy to model. In case add a tablespoon of breadcrumbs to make the mixture thicken better.
Make cylinders about 3 centimeters in diameter by 7 or 8 centimeters in length.
In a rather large frying pan, heat plenty of peanut seed oil. Croquettes should float in the oil to cook well.
At this point pass the croquettes in the flour, then in the beaten egg and finally in the breadcrumbs. When the oil is hot enough put the croquettes and cook them turning often until they are golden brown perfectly. Don’t put too many of them together because they’re in danger of breaking.
Pass them into the paper towel to remove the excess oil and bring to the table.
There are several variants for croquettes. You can put cheese like scamorza in small pieces in the dough or even mortadella, always finely chopped.
Potato gateau
This very tasty first course is originally from Naples, but is cooked throughout southern Italy and Sicily. It is a potato casserole enriched with cured meats and cheeses.
Needed for 4 people potato gateau
- 1 kilogram white potatoes.
- 150 grams of cooked ham
- 150 grams of mozzarella fior of milk
- 100 grams of provola
- 100 grams of grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 eggs
- 60 grams of butter
- two tablespoons of whole milk
- two tablespoons of breadcrumbs
- salt, pepper just enough
- olive oil just enough
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.
Potato gateau preparation
Cook the potatoes again with the peel in plenty of water for about 35/40 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes).
Remove the potatoes, peel them and put in the potato masher so that you get a homogeneous mash.
Add the butter to the potatoes, made in chunks, until it has melted completely, combining the two tablespoons of milk. Add half parmesan and the beaten eggs.
Meanwhile, cut the ham cooked in to very small pieces and add it to the mixture. Mix well, adjust the salt and pepper, and the chopped parsley.
Place half of the dough in a rectangular baking sheet on a sheet of paper and roll out well over the entire surface of the pan.
Now cut into fine slices the mozzarella and provola and make a layer of these two cheeses.
Cover with the other half of the mixture, spread it out well.
Dust now with the two tablespoons of breadcrumbs and half of the parmesan cheese grated all over the surface. Add a few butter sachets and bake in a pre-heat oven at 180 degrees for about 35 or 40 minutes or in any case until the surface is golden brown. Leave to cool for about fifteen minutes before bringing it to the table.
Potato flatbreads
These buns are suitable for an aperitif or as a substitute for bread. They are tasty and easy to make and also quick to prepare.
Necessary for potato flatbreads
- 600 grams of potatoes
- 120 grams of white flour type 00
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- olive oil, salt and pepper just enough
- to stuff the flatbreads:
- 100 grams of cooked ham
- 100 grams of provola or caciotta type cheese.
Preparing potato flatbreads
Classic potato buns are not stuffed, but you can choose to do so by putting in the cooked ham and cheese. You get a more complete and tasty dish.
Boil the whole potatoes without peeling them in plenty of boiling water for about 35 40 minutes (according to the size of the potatoes).
Once cooked remove the peel and in the potato masher make a homogeneous mash.
Then add the beaten egg, flour, spoonful of Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix everything and with the dough obtained make of round shapes quite fine about 8 centimeters in diameter. Place a piece of cooked ham and two or three pieces of cheese on top, place them on top of another round of dough and combine the two parts to close the whole filling.
Prepare as many buns as you have dough and when they are ready cook them in a non-stick frying pan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil about 8 -10 minutes per part or until the surface becomes golden brown. Let them cool a little and serve on the table.
There are, however, plenty of other recipes to make with potatoes, such as stuffed potatoes, duchess potatoes, potato patties, fries (the most loved by children) caramelized potatoes, potato paste etc. that undoubtedly deserve a second article.
Soon then.
