Middle Eastern Spiced Potato Cakes Recipes

BATATA HARRA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and toss well.
• Roast in the oven for 40 minutes flipping halfway through or until the potatoes are crispy on the outside, and fork-tender.
• Pat dry the potatoes before frying them. In a large pot or pan, heat oil to 350°F (180°C).
• Add the potatoes to the oil, and fry for about 15 minutes or until they're golden brown.
• Remove from oil, and drain on a paper towel.
• To a pan, add olive oil, garlic, and chili flakes and cook for a minute over low-medium heat or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the paprika and fresh cilantro, followed by the cooked potatoes.
• Toss until the potatoes are well coated, remove from pan and serve in a serving dish.
• Garnish with extra fresh cilantro, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the potatoes before serving. Serve hot.

IRISH POTATO CAKES

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes, a heaping 1/3 cup flour, 2 tablespoons milk and 1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbs in a bowl; knead until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Divide into 4 balls on a floured surface and flatten each into a 3-inch patty. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the patties and cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adding more butter to the pan as needed. Season with salt.

MIDDLE EASTERN SPICED POTATO CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Add the potatoes to a pot and cover with 6 cups water. Season well with salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and cook the potatoes until easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 9 minutes. Drain and cool, about 10 minutes. Peel and set aside.
• Combine the granulated garlic, 4 teaspoons salt, the black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, fenugreek, turmeric and nutmeg in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
• Once cooled, crush the potatoes gently; the texture should be course and crumbly. Place into a bowl.
• Thoroughly combine the egg, scallions, 1/4 cup of the flour and the spice mix in a bowl. Add to the potatoes and stir to combine. Season the remaining flour with 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Form the potatoes into 2 1/2-ounce patties. Sprinkle the tops and bottoms with the seasoned flour.
• Set a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons oil. Once hot, fry the patties, in batches if necessary, on the first side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and place into the oven until crispy on both sides and hot through, another 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
• To serve, arrange the patties on a serving dish. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

MAAKOUDA BATATA: MOROCCAN POTATO CAKES

Steps:

• Gather the peeled potatoes.
• Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with salted water and boil just until a sharp knife can be inserted halfway through.
• Drain the potatoes and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again, and allow to cool a bit. Chill the potatoes, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a small skillet. Add the onion and sauté gently over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, or until translucent.
• Add the garlic and sauté a minute more, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
• Grate the chilled potatoes into a mixing bowl. Gently fold in the onion and garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, pepper, turmeric, and cilantro. Stir in enough of the eggs to bind the potatoes but not so much that there is excess egg in the bottom of the bowl.
• Shape the potato mixture into cakes about 3 inches in diameter. Wet hands will make the mixture easier to handle.
• Heat enough olive oil to generously cover the bottom of a skillet or griddle. Add the potato cakes and cook slowly over medium heat, about about 8 minutes per side, or until deep golden-brown and crisp. Serve the maakouda warm.

ROASTED NEW POTATOES, MIDDLE EASTERN STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F Wash the potatoes and cut any larger ones so the pieces are all roughly the same size.
• Put into an ovenproof dish and toss with the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden and brown, shaking the dish halfway through the cooking time.
• Sprinkle with lemon juice and cilantro, toss gently, and serve.