Potato Puffballs By Annie Copps

Potatoes are plentiful and I don't care what anyone from Idaho says… Maine potatoes are the best!

While working on our Yankee Magazine cookbook—The Best New England recipes, I came across this gem from 1937.

Boil 6 MAINE potatoes until tender. When they are cool enough to pick up, pass them through a ricer or food mill. Add some milk and parmesan cheese. Form them into ping pong sized balls and roll them in bread crumbs then bake 10 minutes. I dare you to eat just one of the browned and crisp wonders. Perfect on their own or next to a big, thick, juicy steak... either way, get yourself to some local Maine potatoes and try 'em.

Just try to eat one—we dare you.

Total time: 1 ½ hours (1 hour 15 minutes if pan-fried)
Prep time: 40 minutes

Yield: 6 dozen pieces

Ingredients
6 medium Russet potatoes (preferably Maine)
2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup hot whole milk
½ cup grated sharp cheese (or blue cheese)
Pinch kosher or sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
5 large eggs
4 cups unseasoned bread crumbs

Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and cut potatoes into 2-inch chunks. Place in a pan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well. When cool enough to handle, but still hot, pass through a potato ricer or food mill into a medium bowl. By hand, stir in 1 cup hot milk and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Be careful not to over mix.

Beat eggs and place in a shallow dish or pie pan. Place bread crumbs in shallow pie dish. Generously oil a rimmed baking sheet. Form potato mixture into golf ball-sized rounds. Roll each in the eggs, then bread crumbs. Working quickly place on baking sheet 1 inch apart from each other.

Bake 10 minutes and flip, until well-browned and crisped. Season with salt. Serve hot.