How can I make potato balls?

[Luca Lazzari]

The question is misleading, but I'm not a master in English language, sorry...

What I want to do is this: if I have very big potatoes, is there a smart way to "carve" them to produce smaller, round, pieces? I know, I could buy small potatoes, but they're not always available.
May be this is a foolish idea, I just would like to know is someone is doing this thing

 

[Aunt Bea]

How about using a melon ball scoop?

You will have some waste that can be boiled and mashed or fried.



Google: Pommes Parisienne

 

[Luca Lazzari]

How about using a melon ball scoop?

You will have some waste that can be boiled and mashed or fried.



Google: Pommes Parisienne

THANK YOU!

here we go:

Pommes Parisienne

 

[CharlieD]

Luca, all you do is get one of those huge commercial potato grinders, that is supposed only work for cleaning/pealing potato, well not really pealing it just grinds the top of. Leave the big potato in it long enough till it becomes small.

 

[taxlady]

Luca, all you do is get one of those huge commercial potato grinders, that is supposed only work for cleaning/pealing potato, well not really pealing it just grinds the top of. Leave the big potato in it long enough till it becomes small.

That is what came to my mind too. But, if the big potato was cut into cubes, it would only be a bit wasteful.

 

[CharlieD]

That is what came to my mind too. But, if the big potato was cut into cubes, it would only be a bit wasteful.

Yeah, but the whole point of puting the big potato in is so we all can have a good laugh

 

[Luca Lazzari]

This reminds me of an old Italian TV comic show, in which a countryman works on a big log, until he gets a single toothpick out of it...

Here they are, the immortal Raimondo Vianello (the gentleman) and Ugo Tognazzi (the countryman). Sorry but it's in Italian

Ugo Tognazzi e Raimondo Vianello ne "Il Troncio" - YouTube

 

[Cerise]

The question is misleading, but I'm not a master in English language, sorry...

What I want to do is this: if I have very big potatoes, is there a smart way to "carve" them to produce smaller, round, pieces? I know, I could buy small potatoes, but they're not always available.
May be this is a foolish idea, I just would like to know is someone is doing this thing

Sometimes it's hard to find small (loose) potatoes here, too. When I buy a 5 or 10 lb bag, there are lots of small potatoes. (Years ago, I tried the canned, & sauteed them in butter/oil, garlic, parsley & bread crumbs).

You could cook, mash & use an ice cream scoop or form balls by hand & freeze, i.e.

Potato Spinach Cheese Balls:

Idaho Potato Commission - Recipes: Idaho® Potato Spinach Balls

Some more ideas...

Make a giant potato pancake (or small potato pancakes), slice it like a pizza & serve individually. (Cook once & eat twice):

Potato Pancake | Williams-Sonoma

There's always Gnocchi. Make ahead & freeze.:

Meyer Lemon Gnocchi
Meyer Lemon Gnocchi Recipe - Steve Corry | Food & Wine

If you have an apple corer...

Barrel Potatoes
Cookery Art - Herbed barrel potatoes

(A pineapple corer might be another way to go.)

 

[Merlot]

+ 1 to the melon baller, that is what I have always used

 

[taxlady]

What do people do with the little potato balls?

 

[Andy M.]

What do people do with the little potato balls?

They play Pin the Tail on the Potato

 

[Oldvine]

I'm wondering too, what to do with little potato balls. I'm sure they are cute and all that, but I would be making potato balls for hours to satisfy the mob. Cubes are fine at our house.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Normally you par boil them and then slowly brown them in a frying pan with lots of butter.

You can also brown them in the oven with some beef drippings.

 

[Luca Lazzari]

Normally you par boil them and then slowly brown them in a frying pan with lots of butter.

You can also brown them in the oven with some beef drippings.

That's what I want to do. Seasoning them with salt, pepper and fresh rosemary, after frying.
The point is to present a "stylish" plate of small, nice potatoes. Friends, i need to become more aristocratic in my cooking habits

 

[Luca Lazzari]

...
Potato Spinach Cheese Balls:

Idaho Potato Commission - Recipes: Idaho® Potato Spinach Balls

...
Potato Pancake | Williams-Sonoma

...
Meyer Lemon Gnocchi
Meyer Lemon Gnocchi Recipe - Steve Corry | Food & Wine

...
Barrel Potatoes
Cookery Art - Herbed barrel potatoes

(A pineapple corer might be another way to go.)

Cerise, THANK YOU

Tomorrow I definitely want to prepare that gorgeous potato pancake, I'll post some photo if I can make it properly.
About gnocchi, my grandma came from the Veneto region, Italy's gnocchi heartland. She always made gnocchi on sunday, and I kept stealing them raw from the table...
And I still have somewhere a postcard that a Mormon Elder sent to me when he went back to Idaho from Italy: a big truck carrying a giant potato, with a big text "We grow 'em big here!"

 

[Andy M.]

I can't think of the term that describes a neatly trimmed peeled potato in the shape of a football (roughly). Somebody help?

[this type] of potato presentation is also very elegant and used in aristocratic settings all the time.

 

[Cerise]

Cerise, THANK YOU

Tomorrow I definitely want to prepare that gorgeous potato pancake, I'll post some photo if I can make it properly.
About gnocchi, my grandma came from the Veneto region, Italy's gnocchi heartland. She always made gnocchi on sunday, and I kept stealing them raw from the table...
And I still have somewhere a postcard that a Mormon Elder sent to me when he went back to Idaho from Italy: a big truck carrying a giant potato, with a big text "We grow 'em big here!"

I would like to see the stick of butter for that potato.



I thought the Barrel Potatoes were unique, & easy to prepare (if one has the time to poke out all those holes. lol). Boil & serve with herb butter.
Cookery Art - Herbed barrel potatoes

 

[Luca Lazzari]

I would like to see the stick of butter for that potato.

I thought the Barrel Potatoes were unique, & easy to prepare (if one has the time to poke out all those holes. lol). Boil & serve with herb butter.
Cookery Art - Herbed barrel potatoes

I agree, but I'll try the pancake first

 

[Andy M.]

I can't think of the term that describes a neatly trimmed peeled potato in the shape of a football (roughly). Somebody help?

[this type] of potato presentation is also very elegant and used in aristocratic settings all the time.

Found it: Potato Tourne