Ham and cheese potato croquettes

In my humble opinion, there's no bad way to serve a potato! Mashed, fried, baked, on a stick, chipped, scalloped... This recipe combines several of the best characteristics of the potato - its creamy smoothness and crunch. Furthermore, it offers cooks endless possibilities based on what's available in the fridge - leftover roast meat, salami, flaked pieces of cooked fish, grated carrot, or finely diced fresh asparagus, just to list a few suggestions.

A number of years ago, while travelling through Spain, I discovered croquetas - crunchy, smooth morsels served at tapas bars at room temperature. Although they look similar to the croquette recipe I'm sharing with you today, there's a significant difference between the Spanish and French recipes - croquetas are made with a thick béchamel that supports the fillings, often jamón or chorizo. This makes a gluten-free option slightly more challenging. The recipe listed below is therefore French-based, using mashed potatoes to support the flavours of the ham and cheese.

Like when making gnocchi, potato croquettes work best when floury potatoes are used. You also want to avoid making the potato "soggy". To do this, the potatoes can be boiled in their skins or steamed. This will give you a better finished texture, and the croquettes won't fall apart. For a great texture, use a mouli or ricer to mash the potatoes. However, if you don't have one, a potato masher will do the job just fine.

Cooked croquettes can also be frozen. I've made a small batch here, but it's easy to scale up, freeze, and then reheat in a moderate oven (190°C) for 20 minutes. These are great to serve with drinks, or as a light meal served with a crisp green salad. They've quickly become one of our family favourites.

Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 250 g potatoes

• 75 g ham, finely diced

• 1/2 cup grated cheese (Jarlsberg)

• 1 tbl aïoli

• 1 1/2 tbl whole egg mayonnaise

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup plain flour

• 1 egg

• 1 1/2 cups dried breadcrumbs

• Rice bran or light vegetable oil for frying

Boil or steam the potatoes in their jackets until tender. Allow to cool slightly, and peel. Mash until smooth.

Add ham and cheese and stir well.

Add mayonnaise and aioli and stir until well combined.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Using a heaped dessert spoon, divide the mixture into 12 pieces, placing each on the tray.

Place the flour in a small bowl. In another small bowl beat the egg lightly. Place the breadcrumbs on a plate.

Working one at a time, take a ball of potato mix and form into a small log shape. Place back onto the tray.

Take each croquette and lightly dust in flour, then dip into the egg and then gently roll in the breadcrumbs. Place back onto the tray.

Place the tray of crumbed croquettes in the fridge for 20 minutes. This helps maintain their shape during cooking.

In a heavy based frypan, add oil to approximately 1 cm deep. Gently heat until 170°C. Shallow fry the croquettes until golden all over.

Place on paper towel to drain, before serving.

Updated July 2023