Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes: Low FODMAP, Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free
I am always trying to find delicious ways to reinvent leftovers in this kitchen. This recipe is a tasty way to move through those last bits of Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner mashed potatoes.
Mashed potato cakes make an especially lovely brunch side dish - I served this batch with fried eggs and crispy bacon. Lactaid sour cream was my “safe” condiment. I also served with ketchup and tabasco sauce, as options for other family members who can eat onions and garlic.
For garlicky flavor and a bit of color, I used my go-to aromatic in this recipe — garlic chives. You might also find this at your grocery store under one of its many aliases: Nira, Asian chives, or Chinese leeks. They resemble traditional American chives, but are lighter in color and have flatter leaves.
If garlic chives are not available to you, the green parts of scallions and/or regular chives will do the trick.
These are very simple to make, but you must be patient when flipping the pancakes. If you flip them too soon, you will tear the crust that has formed on the outside of the pancakes. Wait to flip them until the sides are quite brown, and a spatula slides under the pancakes with little resistance. You will feel like you have waited to long and be nervous that you are burning them. You aren't. It's fine. Take a deep breath and relax. The process of crust formation will take 7 - 9 minutes. It is what it is.
** If you are struggling to get the spatula to slide under the pancake, it's too soon to flip. Wait a couple of minutes and try again **
LEFTOVER MASHED POTATOES PANCAKE RECIPE
MAKES: 10 pancakes
PREP TIME: 5 minutes active, 15 minutes resting
COOKING TIME: 10 - 12 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I used gruyere)
- 1 or 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free all purpose flour
- the bottom half of 3 garlic chives, finely diced. You may substitute with the green parts of 3 scallions or 3 regular chives
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- neutral cooking oil, with a high smoking point, such as grapeseed oil, canola oil, corn oil, or vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees
- In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine the mashed potatoes, cheese, 1 egg, cornstarch, flour, diced chives, and paprika. Mix just until ingredients are combined. The mixture should form a thick dough-like mixture. If it is too dry or crumbly, add the second egg. Form the mixture into a doughy heap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- At the end of the 15 minutes, put a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil until the height reaches about 1/2 inch
- While the oil heats, form the pancakes. To avoid sticking, I recommend placing the formed cakes on a cutting board or baking sheet covered in a silicone sheet or parchment paper.
- To form a pancake: 1/ spray the inside of 1/4 cup ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray. 2/ Scoop a full amount of dough. Empty into the palm of your hand. 3/ Use your other hand to flatten the top. The pancake should look like a little biscuit when formed.
- Using a spatula or your hands, gently lower each pancake into the hot oil. Set the timer for 4 minutes. At the end of 4 minutes, rotate the frying pan a full 180 degrees, so that the pancakes brown evenly. * Do not even think about checking them to see if they are ready to be flipped over. They are not. Don't do it!!!*
- Set the timer for an additional 3 minutes. At the end, check to see if they are ready to flip. When they are ready to flip, you will see that the sides of the cakes are browned. The spatula will be able to slide under the pancakes with just the tiniest bit of resistance. Take your time with this step. Don't rush. You have worked hard to build up the crust -- work to preserve it.
- Once everybody is flipped, set the timer for 2 minutes. Use this time to set up a large platter covered in 1- 2 layers of paper towel.
- At the end of 2 minutes, rotate the frying pan 180 degrees. Set the timer for an additional 2 minutes. At the end, gently check to see if the reverse side of the cakes are browned and crusty. If they are not browned, give them another 1 to 2 minutes and then check them again.
- If they are browned and crisp, remove them from the pan onto the paper towel covered platter. Sprinkle with the salt.
- Stow the cooked cakes in the preheated oven while you finish cooking the remaining cakes.
- When all are done, move to a clean platter and serve with lactose free sour cream.
ENJOY!