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Potato Puree Cutlets with Cheese
Instructions
After boiling the potatoes, drain the water completely and add a piece of butter.
Mash everything into a smooth, homogeneous purée.
Grate the cheese coarsely.
When the first heat has come off the purée, add the egg and some pepper. Work it into the mixture with the masher.
Add the cheese to the pot. Stir everything through with a spoon.
Thicken the purée a little with the flour and mix it in.
Before shaping the cutlets, wait about 15 minutes for the potato-and-cheese purée to cool, otherwise the patties will not hold their shape and will fall apart in the pan. Once the mixture has come down to room temperature, shape elongated cutlets with damp hands, then roll them in breadcrumbs.
Lay the patties out on a board.
In well-heated oil, fry the cutlets to a golden brown on both sides. There is no need to fry or stew them for long, since all the ingredients are already cooked and ready to eat.
Transfer them onto a paper towel, which will soak up the surface fat.
Potato purée cutlets with cheese are at their most delicious served hot, especially with a spoonful of thick sour cream. The melted cheese has worked its way into every corner of the potato, transforming its taste beyond recognition. This tasty side dish suits any kind of meat, yet it is perfectly acceptable as a dish in its own right too.
Tips
- 1
Letting the purée cool is the "secret" to the shape. Hot purée spreads out in the pan. Give it 15 minutes to cool and the cutlets hold together perfectly.
- 2
Flour for thickening is the "secret" to the texture. 40 g of flour is enough to keep the cutlets from falling apart without making them "dry".
- 3
Damp hands are the "secret" to stopping the mixture sticking. The purée clings to your hands; with damp palms the cutlet shapes up perfectly.
- 4
Rolling in breadcrumbs is the "secret" to a crisp crust. Without crumbs the cutlets go soft in the pan; with them they turn out golden. The same principle works for other kinds of potato cutlets.
FAQ
Which potatoes should I choose? +
Ideally, floury, starchy varieties (Adretta, Sineglazka, Lorkh, Golubizna) – they give an airy purée. Alternatives: all-purpose varieties (Nevsky, Udacha) or new potatoes (more tender, but less starchy). Fresh potatoes should be firm, with no green patches or sprouts. Not suitable: bright-yellow varieties with waxy flesh (Rozara, Red Scarlett – they will not break down) and young May potatoes (too watery). Seed brands such as Sedek, Poisk and Gavrish are reliable. For a "premium" purée, use farm potatoes. Ready-made mash from the fridge is the "budget" option and is ideal to use up. Do not use packet (instant powder) mash – the flavour is unnatural.
What can I use instead of cheese? +
Alternatives: Maasdam or Gouda (140 g – the "classic"), grated Parmesan (70 g plus 70 g mozzarella – "premium"), Cheddar (140 g – sharp and English), Suluguni (140 g – "Georgian"), brynza (140 g – "Balkan") or feta (140 g – salty). Brands such as Galbani, Syrobogatov and President are reliable. Freshly grated cheese is the "premium" choice. Do not use: processed cheese (it will run) or soft blue cheese (it changes the flavour). For "children's" cutlets, ordinary Russian cheese. For "premium", Parmesan plus mozzarella. Adyghe cheese also works well and is mild. For a "diet" version, 140 g of grainy cottage cheese.
How long do the cutlets keep? +
In the fridge, wrapped in film or in a container, they keep for 2 days. Any longer and the potato goes stale and the cheese loses its stretch. Before serving, reheat them in a pan for 3–5 minutes on each side (this restores the crisp crust) or in the oven for 7 minutes at 170°C. In the freezer, cooked cutlets keep for up to 1 month and raw patties for up to 2 months. Defrost raw patties straight in the pan. Fresh cutlets are at their "star" best in the first 30 minutes. On the second day the flavour "tightens up", but the crust softens. Do not leave them at room temperature for longer than 2 hours – the cheese and egg spoil. It is best to fry them and eat them straight away.
What should I serve the cutlets with? +
As a standalone side or a main course: with thick sour cream (the classic). With a fresh vegetable salad for a "light" lunch. With boiled or stewed vegetables. With fried or stewed meat. With grilled fish. With fried mushrooms in sour cream. With tomato sauce or ketchup. With a garlic sauce. With a green salad and a lemon dressing. With borscht or shchi as a "side". With a cup of kefir or ryazhenka. For a "family lunch", with a salad. For a "children's lunch", with milk. With a light beer for a "bar" style serving. A versatile side-and-dish for both everyday meals and special occasions.
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