Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [245]
2. Put water in the lower half of a double boiler and bring it to a simmer. Put the butter in the upper half of the pot. Mash the potatoes through a food mill or a potato ricer directly onto the butter.
3. Put the milk in a small saucepan and bring it almost to a boil—to the point when it begins to form tiny, pearly bubbles. Take it off heat before it breaks into a boil.
4. Begin beating the potatoes steadily with a whisk, or a fork, adding to them 2 or 3 tablespoons of hot milk at a time. When you have used half the milk, beat in all the grated Parmesan. When you have incorporated the cheese smoothly into the potatoes, resume adding milk. Do not cease to beat, unless you must rest your arm occasionally for a few seconds.
The potatoes must turn into a very soft, fluffy mass, a state that requires constant beating and as much milk as the potatoes will absorb before becoming thin and runny. Some potatoes absorb less milk than others: You must judge, by appearance and taste, when you have put in enough.
5. When there is no milk left, or you have determined that no more can be absorbed by the potatoes, add salt to taste and a tiny grating of nutmeg—about ⅛ teaspoon—swirling to distribute both evenly. Spoon the mashed potatoes onto a warm plate and serve at once.
Ahead-of-time note If you are really prevented from serving the mashed potatoes the moment they are done, when they are at their best, you can finish them up to 1 hour in advance. When ready to serve, reheat over simmering water in the double boiler, beating in 2 or 3 tablespoons of very hot milk.
If you are making one of the croquette recipes that follow, you can make them several hours or a full day in advance.
Potato Croquettes with Crisp-Fried Noodles
WHEN TINY BALLS of mashed potatoes are fried with a coating of crumbled thin noodles, they look like some kind of thistle. The contrast between the crisp noodle surface and soft potato interior makes the croquettes as appealing in taste as in appearance.
For 6 servings
1 cup very thin noodles, angel hair or thinner, hand-crushed into ⅛-inch fragments
⅓ cup flour
1 egg yolk
The mashed potatoes made from this recipe (also see Ahead-of-time note)
Vegetable oil
1. Combine the crumbled noodles and flour in a dish.
2. Mix the egg yolk into the mashed potatoes. Shape them into 1-inch balls and roll them in the crumbled noodles and flour.
3. Put enough oil in a skillet to come ¼ inch up its sides, and turn on the heat to high. When the oil is quite hot—it should sizzle when you put in a croquette—slip in as many potato balls at one time as will fit loosely, but without crowding the pan. Cook, turning them, until a brown-gold crust forms all around. Transfer with a slotted spoon or spatula to a cooling rack to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels. Repeat the procedure until all the croquettes are done, and serve while still piping hot.
Potato and Ham Croquettes, Romagna Style
For 6 servings
The mashed potatoes made from this recipe (also see Ahead-of-time note)
1 egg plus 1 yolk
6 ounces prosciutto, chopped very fine
Vegetable oil
Flour, spread on a plate
1. Combine the mashed potatoes with the egg, the additional yolk, and the chopped prosciutto, working the ingredients into a uniform mixture.
2. Shape the mixture into small patties about 2 inches across and no more than ½ inch thick.
3. Pour enough oil into a skillet to come ¼ inch up its sides and turn the heat on to high.
4. Dredge the patties in the flour, one patty at a time on both sides, lightly pressing it into the flour with your palm and shaking off the excess. When the oil is quite hot—it should sizzle when you put in a croquette—slip in as many potato patties at one time as will fit loosely without crowding the pan. Cook, turning them, until a brown-gold crust forms all around. Transfer with a slotted spoon or spatula to a cooling rack to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels. Repeat the procedure until all the croquettes are done, and serve while still