Potato Stars

Potato stars are a versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer or a side dish. Here is the recipe to prepare them.

Ingredients

• 500g of potatoes
• 100g of grated cheese (parmesan or pecorino, according to taste)
• 1 egg
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Breadcrumbs as needed
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. To start, peel the potatoes and cook them in salted water until they are soft. Then, drain them and let them cool.
2. Once cool, mash the potatoes with a potato masher or a fork until you have a smooth mixture.
3. Add the egg, grated cheese, a pinch of salt, pepper, and, if you like, a bit of grated nutmeg, mixing well to combine all the ingredients.
4. Prepare a work surface and sprinkle it with some breadcrumbs. Take the potato mixture and form it into balls, then flatten them slightly to make a disk shape.
5. Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the stars from the potato disk. If you don’t have a star-shaped cutter, you can try to shape them by hand or use a knife to give them a similar shape.
6. Coat the potato stars in breadcrumbs, making sure they are well covered.
7. Heat the oil in a frying pan and, when it has reached the right temperature, fry the potato stars until they are golden and crispy.
8. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil and serve them hot as an appetizer or side dish.

Curiosity

Potato stars are a great alternative to classic potato croquettes and, with their cute star shape, are perfect for festive periods or theme buffets where you want to present themed dishes. Also experiment with different types of cheese to vary the flavor or add aromatic herbs for an extra touch.