Potato and Cheese Croquettes

Serves: to serve 4 - 6

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ready In: 35 mins

2 large - eggs

12 - 15 oz - cooked potatoes (baked or boiled) cooled

2 tablespoons - freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 oz - butter

3 tablespoons - fresh chives

2 tablespoons - flat leaf parsley

pinch - grated nutmeg

pinch - cayenne pepper

- salt and pepper

3 oz - Gorgonzola cheese

3 oz - Italian-style breadcrumbs

- vegetable oil (for frying)

If you don't have any left-over potatoes, simply follow the recipe for creamed potatoes. However, this recipe is a great way to use up left-over cooked potatoes. If they are not mashed, begin my doing so (or press them through a ricer). By way of further preparation, finely chop the chives and the flat leaf parsley and cut the Gorgonzola into ½" (1cm) cubes. (Though Gorgonzola works best for this recipe, you can use any blue-veined cheese as a substitute).
Whisk one of the eggs in a bowl and add the mashed potatoes. Add the grated Parmesan, butter, chives, parsley, nutmeg, cayenne, a teaspoon of salt and several twists of black pepper. Using a rubber spatula, mix the ingredients together gently until they are evenly combined.
Use your hands to form the potato mixture into ovals about the size of a small chicken egg. Flatten the ovals slightly then press a cube of Gorgonzola into the middle and pack the potato mixture around it, rolling it in your hands until it once more forms a smooth, egg-shaped ball. Continue making "potato eggs" until all the potato mixture is used up.
If you can buy Italian-style breadcrumbs, by all means use them. If not, you can make your own Italian-style breadcrumbs in less than 5 minutes (and they taste better!). Beat the remaining egg in a shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs in another shallow dish and set it next to the bowl with the beaten egg. Roll a croquette in the egg until completely coated, and then roll it in the breadcrumbs to coat the outside. As each is coated, place them on a clean plate then refrigerate them for at least an hour.
Pour ½" (1cm) of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed frying pan (skillet) and heat it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the croquettes a few at a time, turning them until they become golden brown (about 4-5 minutes). When cooked, transfer them to a plate lined with absorbent kitchen towels and sprinkle them with salt to taste. Keep warm, whilst cooking the remaining croquettes.
Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm either with a light salad as a lunch or with sausages or liver or kidneys as part of a main meal or a barbeque (or be really bad and snack on them!).