Potato and Zucchini Cheesy Poppers

Potato and zucchini cheesy poppers are a tasty dish that can be served as an appetizer or a side dish. Here’s the recipe to make them:

Ingredients

• 500 g of potatoes
• 2 medium zucchini
• 150 g of mozzarella for pizza (or other melting cheese)
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Aromatic herbs to taste (e.g., thyme, marjoram)
• Breadcrumbs for breading
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying

Preparation

1. Start by washing and peeling the potatoes. Boil them in salted water until they are soft. Once ready, drain and mash them with a potato masher until smooth.
2. Grate the zucchini with a coarse grater and squeeze out the excess water using a clean cloth or paper towels.
3. Mix the grated zucchini into the mashed potatoes.
4. Add the cubed mozzarella, grated Parmesan, salt, pepper, and finely chopped aromatic herbs. Stir all the ingredients until you have a uniform mixture.
5. Take portions of the mixture and shape them with your hands to form small spheres or cylinders.
6. Roll the poppers in breadcrumbs to coat them evenly.
7. Heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and fry the poppers until they are golden brown on all sides.
8. Once ready, place them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
9. Serve hot.

Curiosity

The potato and zucchini cheesy poppers can be personalized with variations according to taste. For instance, you can add diced speck or cooked ham to the mixture for a richer version, or replace mozzarella with another cheese, such as scamorza or gouda, to change the flavor of the gooey filling. As an alternative to frying, for a lighter version, you can also bake them in the oven until golden brown.