Day 11 and it’s time to bring out the Christmas Cookie Cutters. I, like many British children, grew up on Smiley Faces– potatoes that smiled up at us from a plate and persuaded us they tasted great with their cheeriness. Only when I was older did I realise that, without any form of sauce, they didn’t taste so great– but homemade ones? They do taste great because you can make them taste great. The recipe was inspired by Poppy Cooks Smiley Faces recipe (go check out her Instagram page for multiple other brilliant potato recipes from the internet-appointed Potato Queen) but with a Christmas twist. I’m sure your kids, and all your kids at heart alike, will love the appearance of these on any day through the Christmas period.
Ingredients:
- 8 Medium Good Quality Mashing Potatoes
- 2 tbsps Cornflour
- 2 tbsps Dried Breadcrumbs
- 1tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1tsp Turmeric
- Salt and Black Pepper
Method:
- Peel and wash potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes into 1cm cubes and put into medium pan.
- Cover with cold water and bring to boil on a high heat. Boil for about 10-12 mins or until soft.
- Put into a colander to drain. Cover with a clean tea-towel and allow to dry for ten minutes.
- Pass through a sieve into a bowl.
- Add all other ingredients to the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly to form a dough.
- Put a silicon baking mat or baking paper onto a tray.
- Take a bit of the dough, roll into a ball and then flatten to about 1cm thick. Stamp out the shape with a Christmas Cookie Cutter and move to the baking tray with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining potato.
- Place tray in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to relax the shapes. At this time you can also freeze them, to eat at a later date.
- Preheat oil in a deep fat fryer or in a deep pan to 190 degrees C.
- Use a spatula to place your shaped potatoes into your oil carefully.
- Fry until golden brown and crispy. Drain on kitchen roll and season to taste.
- Serve and enjoy.
The Literary Onion 