Easy Spanish Potato Croquettes

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash and peel the 1½ lb potatoes. Cut large potatoes into equally sized chunks, put them in a large pot and cover with cold water. Salt the water with extra salt to taste. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20–25 minutes, checking from 20 minutes, until a butter knife easily pierces the potatoes.

   Boil the potatoes · 20 minUses 1½ lb potatoes · Cold water, as needed to wash and cover the potatoes for boiling · Salt for the potato boiling water, as needed

2. 2

   Step 2: Drain the cooked potatoes and discard the cooking water. Pass the potatoes through a ricer, or mash gently until smooth and fluffy. Spread the mash shallowly and let it cool enough that it will not cook the egg when mixed. If preparing the potatoes ahead, cool promptly and refrigerate them until needed.

   Uses All cooked potato pieces, excluding discarded boiling water

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix the cooled mashed potatoes with the 2 tsp filling salt, 1 tsp black pepper and grated Manchego. Taste before adding any egg (1), and adjust with extra salt and pepper if needed. Beat the single filling egg, then fold it in gently without overmixing.

   Uses Cooled riced potatoes · 2 tsp salt, for the filling · 1 tsp black pepper, for the filling · ¾ cup cured Manchego cheese, grated · Extra filling salt, only if needed · Extra black pepper, to taste if needed · 1 egg, beaten for the filling

4. 4

   Step 4: Divide the filling into 20 small portions and roll into balls. If the mixture is too soft to hold its shape, refrigerate it until firm enough to roll. Keep the balls chilled while preparing the coating.

   Uses Potato, Manchego and egg filling

5. 5

   Step 5: Put the ½ cup breading flour and ¾ cup breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls. Beat the two breading eggs in a third bowl. Have extra breadcrumbs available only if the measured supply is not enough to coat the balls.

   Uses ½ cup all-purpose flour, for breading · ¾ cup breadcrumbs, for breading · 2 eggs, beaten for breading

6. 6

   Step 6: Coat each potato ball in flour, then the beaten breading egg, then breadcrumbs. Add extra breadcrumbs to the coating bowl only if needed. Keep the coated balls cold until frying, and discard leftover flour, egg and crumbs from the used coating bowls.

   Uses Shaped potato croquette balls · Portion of the ½ cup breading flour that coats the balls · Portion of the beaten two-egg breading stock that adheres to the balls · Portion of the ¾ cup breadcrumb stock that adheres to the balls · Extra breadcrumbs, only if needed for coating

7. 7

   Step 7: Once the balls are coated, heat enough olive oil for deep frying in a suitable heavy pan over medium heat. Keep the croquettes refrigerated while the oil heats; it should be hot enough to fry them steadily without burning the coating.

   Uses Olive oil, as needed for deep frying

8. 8

   Step 8: Deep fry the cold breaded croquettes in uncrowded batches, turning as needed to brown all sides. Allow about 3–4 minutes per batch and check from 3 minutes; the coating should be golden and the centers cooked through and at least 71°C. Let the oil recover between batches and keep waiting croquettes refrigerated.

   Fry a croquette batch · 3 minUses A frying batch of the breaded potato balls; repeat for the remaining batches · Hot olive-oil frying medium

9. 9

   Step 9: Lift each cooked batch out of the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve the 20 croquettes hot. Dipping sauces can be served separately if desired.

   Uses Cooked croquettes lifted from the frying oil for draining and serving