At a Glance
- Prep Method: null
- Yield: 4
- Ready Time:
Recipe By: Ron Boucher
Ingredients
- 3 Medium Idaho Potatoes
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup plus 2 Tbs Olive Oil, plus more if needed
- 1 ½ cups Finely diced Onions
- 2 ½ cups Finely diced Leek
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 ½ ounces Feta Cheese, crumbled
- 1 ½ ounces Manouri Cheese
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbs Minced Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
- 1 Tbs Chopped Fresh chives
- ½ tsp Minced Garlic
- 2 ¼ cups Milk
- 1 cup All-purpose Flour
- ½ cup Cornstarch
Preparation
Place the unpeeled potatoes in cold salted water to cover by 1 inch in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the point of a small sharp knife. Remove from the heat, drain well, and set aside to cool.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until the onion is soft but has not taken on any color. Add the leek along with a pinch of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 8 minutes, or until the leek is very soft. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
When the potatoes are cool, peel and grate them through the large holes of a box grater. Place in large mixing bowl and add the reserved onion leek mixture. Stir in one of the eggs along with the feta and manouri cheese, yogurt, parsley, chives and garlic, stirring to blend well. Using about ¼ cup of the bread crumbs, add just enough to firm the mix – you do not want it to be dry.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper, set aside.
Using an ice cream scoop, portion out the mixture to make 6 scoops into cakes – about 2 ½ inches in diameters and ¼ inch high. Place the cakes on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until almost frozen. Remove the cakes from the freezer.
Place 4 shallow dishes side by side on the countertop. Place the milk in the first dish. Combine the flour and cornstarch with salt and pepper to taste in the second dish. Place the remaining egg in the third dish and whisk until well blended. Combine the remaining 2 cups of fresh bread crumbs in the fourth and final dish.
Working with one piece at a time, dip a potato cake into the milk first, then the flour mixture, then the egg and finally the bread crumbs, pressing lightly so that the bread crumbs adhere to the potato cake. Place the coated potato cakes on another baking pan lined with parchment paper and set aside.
Heat ¼ cup of the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. When a couple of bread crumbs dropped into the oil sizzle and crisp immediately, begin adding the potato cakes to the oil, 3 at a time. Fry for 3 minutes, or until golden, then turn and fry the other side for 3 minutes or until golden. Add more oil if necessary to keep the cakes from sticking. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the browned cakes to a double layer of paper towel to drain. Continue to fry the remaining cakes, adding the remaining ¼ cup oil to the pan, as necessary. Keep warm until ready to serve or, if making in advance, reheat uncovered in a preheated 350° F oven.
