Mashed Potato Cakes

This is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes. It's a Sara Moulton recipe. She recommends not adding butter or milk, etc. to the portion of potatoes you reserve to make the cakes. But I go ahead and mash all the taters into creamy, buttery bliss and "settle" for cakes that are a bit softer and less (and more!) shapely. These babies got curves..


Serve with roasted chicken , topped with a poached egg or sprinkled with scallions.

Mashed Potato Cakes
makes 8 cakes

2 cups cold mashed potatoes
2 T canola oil
2 T butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 t. salt plus additional to taste
1/4 t. black pepper plus additional to taste

• Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, divide mashed potatoes into 8 portions. Form into 1/2 inch (a bit thicker if using potatoes mashed with butter and milk bc they will soften and flatten more) patties.
• Mix the flour with the salt and pepper in a pie plate. In a large non-stick or cast iron saute pan over medium-high saute pan heat oil and butter heat oil and butter until it's ripple-y almost smoking.
• Coat the potato cakes thoroughly with seasoned flour. Add to the hot oil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until cakes have formed a golden crust, 15-20 minutes. Turn and cook other side until brown, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if you like. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Note: cakes can be kept for a couple of days in the fridge and reheated for a few minutes under the broiler until hot.