Friday, March 15, 2013

St. Paddy's Potato Patties



If parsley and spring onions could be picked out of the prattie's patties, we'd probably have just awesome reviews from the mini-chefs at the school's cooking club. But to our surprise most of the children ate the patties they prepared with enthusiasm, totally forgetting their dislike for green leaves. Maybe it was just the influence of a leprechaun... or the naturally green eggs brought by mom K, who cooks with me at school and has Easter Egger chickens that lay real green-shelled eggs.

So if you'd like to celebrate St. Patrick's in easygoing style, here is the recipe. It is really easy, and with a little help using a skillet or griddle, kids may have lots of fun making them. At school they shredded parsley, used kid-safe scissors to cut the spring onion, little finger tips to peel the potatoes, forks to mash potatoes, and lots of energy to pat the potato dough and press it flat on the griddle.  

If you want to add some Irish mystique to the cooking, you can — as we did — read Jamie O'Rourke and The Big Potato, by Tomie de Paola. Irish or not, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

St Patrick's Pratties Patties

Ask the little ones to carefully pat the potatoes after you put them on the griddle, which helps the patties stay firm and cook all the way through. This recipe makes about 8 potato patties.

2 russet potatoes, baked with the skin on
1 egg
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onion (just the dark green part)
1 tablespoon parsley leaves (just the leaves), shredded

Preheat griddle to 350 F, or skillet to medium heat. Mash potatoes with the tip of a fork (or potato ricer) and transfer to a bowl.

Beat egg lightly and add to the potatoes, integrating the egg to the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle salt and garlic into the mix. Add parsley and spring onions, and mash a bit more to make sure that the potato mix is even.

Form little balls with a spoon, put on the griddle, and pat each one flat with the back of a wooden spoon. Grill for about three minutes on each side or until golden on both sides. 

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