Bolinhos de Batata
(Brazilian Potato Balls)
Yield: Approximately 24 bolinhos (Brazilian potato balls)
A first! For the first time, last night I made Bolinhos de Batata (Brazilian Potato Balls) to accompany Brazilian-style, wood-grilled sirloin tri-tip. They were delicious, even better than what Brazilian steakhouses serve! Also, Merchant Spice Co.‘s Brazilian Seasoning makes a great rub on the steaks prior to grilling. Simply season the steaks with coarse sea salt (we sell a Brazilian coarse sea salt), olive oil and a generous amount of the Brazilian Blend ~ rub it all in; marinate for 4 hours or overnight. Now for the potato balls, here’s the recipe …
Ingredients:
(NOTE: T = tablespoon; t = teaspoon)
- @ 1 1/2 – 2 lbs. potato (Your choice, golden or russet would work well; I used 1 extra large russet baking potato.)
-
2 eggs
-
1/4 cup, or to taste, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
-
2 T finely chopped onion
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2 T finely chopped green onion (or 1 T dried chopped green onion)
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4 t cornstarch, preferably organic
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Pepper, to taste (I used cayenne; finely ground white pepper would be good, too.)Sea salt, to taste
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Breadcrumbs or farinha de mandioca (manioc flour, aka, cassava flour) to coat the bolinhos for frying (I used 1 cup of breadcrumbs, combined with 1 T cassava flour, optional, and 1/2 t finely ground sea salt.)
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Olive oil for frying
Preparation:
Traditionally, the potato is boiled with the skin on in salted water, then skin removed and mashed. However, to retain full flavor of the potato, I peeled the potato, cut it into chunks, put it in a covered casserole dish with 1/2 cup of water and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt, then roasted in a preheated 425°F oven until done, about 40 minutes.
Mash the potatoes with all the ingredients other than the breadcrumbs. After mixing well, chill the potato mixture in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour or more. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and shape into approximately one-inch balls. Roll the balls in the breadcrumb mixture. The potato mixture was soft & delicate, so I refrigerated the balls for another 30 minutes or so prior to frying to firm them up.
When ready to serve, heat the olive oil to 350°F and fry the potato balls until golden, about 3 minutes. It’s a very quick process!
Delicious served with roasted or wood-grilled meats, Brazilian style especially!
