Potato balls: Recreating a beloved favourite at home

During some receptions, it's often heard that there is too much food and the portions are too large. But the truth is that dishes like tripe or jellied pork hocks usually taste best at gatherings. Similarly, the hit side dish, potato balls, always garner praise when served instead of mashed potatoes. I decided to recreate this specialty at home.

The secret to perfectly fluffy balls lies in the right proportions of ingredients and a few simple tricks that make them taste like they come from the best restaurant. Thanks to the following recipe, you can prepare potato balls at home that will be just as delicious and impress all your family members and guests, just like at a wedding reception.

For 1 kilogram of potatoes, you need 100 grams of potato starch. Add 2 medium eggs and salt to taste. This is really a simple list, and the taste effect surprises everyone at the table. However, the preparation steps are essential.

Preparation:        

1. Cooking the potatoes: wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into smaller pieces and cook in salted water until soft. Drain the potatoes and pass them through a ricer to obtain a smooth mass. Allow it to cool. If you have "yesterday's" potatoes to use up, just pass them through a ricer; you can add a bit of milk to the mass if they are too dry.
2. Mixing ingredients: Add potato starch, eggs, and salt to the cooled potatoes. Mix thoroughly until a uniform mass is formed.
3. Forming the balls: form small balls from the prepared mass, the size of a walnut.
4. Cooking: in a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Gently drop the potato balls into the boiling water. When the dumplings float to the surface, cook for another 2-3 minutes, then drain.
5. The balls can also be deep-fried or baked.

Thanks to the right proportions of ingredients, potato balls made from this recipe are exceptionally soft and delicate. They pair perfectly with different sauces and toppings, making them versatile in many dishes.

Tips and Tricks:      

• Choosing potatoes: it's best to use starchy potatoes, which are ideal for making dumplings.
• Adding starch: the amount of starch may vary slightly depending on the type of potatoes and their moisture content. The mass should be soft but not sticky.
• Enhancing flavour: To give the balls more flavour, you can add finely chopped dill or parsley to the potato mass.
• Storage: if you don’t use all the balls immediately, you can store them in the refrigerator for 1-2 days and reheat them before serving.