Southern Style Potato Cakes

I remember every time my dad made mashed potatoes he would cook double the amount and put half in a bowl and put it in the fridge for the next day. The next day before dinner he would bring out that bowl and let it come to room temperature. He would then go on to add all of the other ingredients, patty them out, fry them in oil, and serve them with either fried chicken or hamburger steak and gravy.

I don’t make them as often as my father did but they are so good and bring back so many memories when I do cook them. Typically when I make mashed potatoes I make just enough for dinner so there are no leftovers. When I do make more than enough I always make these tasty little potato cakes. They are so simple but so good.

INGREDIENTS:

2 C. Cooked Potatoes – cooked- cooled- smashed
1 C. Flour
1/2 Onion – finely diced
1 Egg – beaten
Salt and pepper – taste
Oil for frying ( about 1/2 cup)

DIRECTIONS:

1. The day before or early in the morning, cook your potatoes until they are tender. Drain them well and smash them until they are smooth. At this point, you can add butter and whatever other tasty things you like to add to your mashed potatoes. Sometimes I add butter and cream cheese. You do you. lol. Add the prepared mashed potatoes to a bowl, cover with a lid, and let cool to room temp and place in the fridge until cold. 4 hours or overnight.
2. When you are ready to make these patties add the cold potatoes into a bowl and add the onion, egg, salt, pepper, and enough flour ( about 1 cup- give or take) to make a thick batter. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape when shaped into patties. When you reach this consistency you can scoop out about 1/3 cup of the mixture and shape it into a patty form. The thickness is up to you. Place on a plate until all the others are shaped.
3. Add the oil into a large skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot carefully add the patties into the oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully flip the patties and allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
4. Remove from the skillet and place either on a sheet pan with a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate to drain off any excess grease.
5. Serve warm.

• You can add other flavors to these potato cakes. I like to add fresh herbs, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, scallions, jalapenos, basil and parm, cheddar cheese and jalapenos, herbs and parm… the sky is the limit. They are all so delicious.
• You can use fresh cooked potatoes as long as they are cool enough to handle. The mixture will be a bit more gummy and you may need more flour to compensate for the water in the freshly cooked potatoes. I like to let the potatoes cool completely ( or chill overnight) before I make them. You can do whichever you have enough time for.