Fried Mashed Potato Men

Mashed potatoes are pretty good. Even the next day. Fried mashed potatoes brings it to a whole nother level. But fried mashed potato men? That's something that sticks with you long after the meal. Expect whoever you make them for to ask for them again. And the options for seasonings and add ins are endless.

The ingredient list is very short, but definitely experiment a bit. It's hard to go wrong here.

• 2 lbs potatoes
• salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c flour
• bread crumbs
• cooking oil

You'll also need a pot to boil the potatoes in, a pot/pan to fry them in, a source of heat (I use a stove), water, bowl, cookie cutter.

Take pan. Put potatoes in pan. Put water in pan. Maybe a little salt. Put on stove on high heat. It took me 45 minutes between putting them on the stove and when they were done. When a knife slides in fairly easily that's good. I left the skins on but you don't need to. In fact you will probably have an easier time of things if you peel them. Once I took them out of the pot I put them in a bowl and used a sharp knife to slice them up in a very rough mash. I just wanted the skins to be in smaller pieces so they would be easier to work with. Then I let them cool for while before mashing them thoroughly.

With a fork, mix 3 eggs into the potatoes. Break up the bigger chunks and make sure the egg is thoroughly mixed in. Don't beat it to death or the potato will end up unappealingly gluey. Add whatever seasonings you wish and 1/2 c flour. Also add in any special bits at this point, like cheese, chives, or bacon crumbles. Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. With wet hands (so the dough will not stick), squash the potato mixture into an even layer, maybe 1/2 - 3/4" thick. Once it's flat to your satisfaction, press your cookie cutter into the dough. I used a gingerbread man cookie cutter, you might prefer something different. One thing to note, this dough is rather sticky, so anything with fine detail or long thin appendages will probably leave you cursing. don't bother using the type of cookie cutters that leave impressions in the dough, as this will not work well and later steps will obliterate these details. If you don't have any cookie cutters you could always use a glass to make circles, or cut triangles or squares with a knife. Gently drag the foil onto a tray or cookie sheet and pop it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes but no more that 7 weeks. The dough will be far easier to handle in the next step if frozen. I found it worked perfectly if they were stiff, it was difficult to maintain the shape if they were not. If they get droopy just pop them back in the freezer.

Prepare a bowl of flour, a bowl of egg (well mixed), and a bowl of bread crumbs (I prefer panko). Add oil to a pan for deep frying. You could use a smaller pan and fry fewer at a time - more of a deep fry, or a larger pan and not have your men submerged. I used a smaller pan to go for a real deep fry. Put the oil on medium high, and let it heat up. I found about 350° F (176° C) was perfect, 325° was too cold, 375° was too hot. Maybe 340° - 360° was about the Goldilocks zone. Take your dough out of the freezer and gently separate your mashed potato men. You may have to push the cookie cutter into the dough again to free each one up. Dip your men in flour first, coating completely then letting excess fall off. Next submerge in the egg. Again, try to make sure there's egg everywhere. Then roll around in the bread crumbs to fully cover. Plop them in the hot oil. Do not crowd them or they will stick together. When they are a delightful golden brown, remove them from the oil and place on paper towels to soak up excess oil. Salt liberally and serve with dipping sauce of your choice - mine were honey mustard and spicy ketchup.

Bonus Recipes!

Honey Mustard Sauce - 1 part mayo, 1 part spicy brown mustard. A dab of honey. Keep on dabbin until it tastes good to you.

Spicy Ketchup - Ketchup plus a dash of hot sauce of your choice. Not hot enough? Add more! Too hot? Use less.