- 2 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (about 1 pound 2 ounces potatoes, peeled, cut in chunks and steamed until tender, then mashed with a potato masher or a fork)
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped steamed or blanched broccoli raab
- 1/4 cup chopped chives
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, to taste
- 3 heaped tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 3 to 4 tablespoons sunflower oil, grapeseed oil or canola oil for frying
1. In a large bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, finely chopped broccoli raab, chives, baking powder, salt, pepper, Parmesan and flour. Beat the eggs and stir in.
2. Begin heating a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and when it is hot carefully scoop up heaped tablespoons of the potato mixture and use a spoon or spatula to ease them out of the spoon into the pan. Gently flatten the mounds slightly with the back of a spoon or a spatula but don’t worry if this is hard to do – if they stick — because when you flip them over you can flatten them into pancakes. Brown on the first side – about 2 or 3 minutes – and using a spatula, flip the potato and broccoli raab mounds over and gently push them down so that they will be shaped like pancakes. Brown on the other side and remove to a baking sheet. Continue with the remaining potato mixture, adding oil to the pan as necessary.
Yield: Makes 2 to 2 1/2 dozen small pancakes, serving 6
Advance preparation: You can mix up the batter several hours ahead. The potatoes and broccoli raab can be cooked a day or two ahead.