Potato and cheese croquettes

Potato and cheese patties

Whenever I have leftover boiled potatoes or feel like skipping meat, I make these patties with cheese and dill. Today, I let the potatoes cool more than I should have, but they still grated well. They are great warm, but also tasty cold if I can't eat them right away.

Quick info

Total time: about 50-60 minutes (depends on how quickly the potatoes boil and cool)
Preparation time: 20 minutes (excluding boiling time)
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes including boiling and frying the potatoes
Servings: 4 (about 18-20 small patties)
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: warm snack or appetizer

Ingredients

500 g potatoes (white or red, so they are crumbly)
2 eggs
100 g grated cheese
1/2 bunch of dill (finely chopped)
piper to taste
sweet paprika to taste
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
50 g butter (melted and cooled)
5-6 tablespoons flour (plain, wheat)
oil for frying (for deep frying, not for the dough)

Preparation method

1. Wash the potatoes and boil them with the skin on. They boil depending on their size, usually 30-35 minutes, but check them with a fork.

2. After boiling, drain the water, let them cool enough to handle, then peel them.

3. Warm potatoes can be mashed directly with a potato masher. If they are cold, you can grate them, as I did this time.

4. Place the mashed potatoes in a large bowl. Add the eggs, grated cheese, chopped dill, flour, cooled melted butter, baking powder, salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.

5. Mix everything with a spoon or by hand. The dough should be soft but moldable. If it seems too soft and you can't form balls, add a little more flour, but don't overdo it – if you add too much, the patties will be too dense.

6. Heat a pot or deep pan with enough oil for deep frying (the patties should float).

7. Grease your hands with a little oil. Take some of the mixture and form small balls, about the size of a walnut.

8. Fry the patties in hot oil, in batches, until golden and crispy on the outside. Don't overcrowd the pan, so the oil temperature doesn't drop too much.

9. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

10. Serve them warm or at room temperature, plain or with sauces.

Why I make this recipe often

It's practical when I have potatoes on hand and don't want to make something complicated. I like that I can easily adapt it if I have other cheeses in the fridge. They are also good for picnics or packed lunches. They rarely last long, but they don't lose their texture even if I don't eat them right away.

Tips and variations

Tips

The potatoes must be well boiled and completely drained so they don't release water into the mixture.
Let the butter cool so it doesn't cook the eggs when you pour it over the mixture.
If you don't have dill, you can leave it out or use parsley, but the taste will change.
If you make larger patties, you need to fry them a little longer, over lower heat, so they don't remain soft in the middle.

Substitutions

The cheese can be replaced with any hard cheese that grates easily, like Emmental or Gouda.
The flour in the mixture can be replaced with fine breadcrumbs, but the texture will be slightly different.
The butter can be replaced with a tablespoon of oil, but the taste will be more neutral.

Variations

If you want a stronger flavor, add a small clove of crushed garlic to the mixture.
You can add a little chopped green onion if you have it.
If you don't want to fry in oil, you can try baking them on parchment paper, greased with oil, at medium to high heat, but the texture won't be as crispy.

Serving ideas

They are good as a warm snack, but they also work cold for lunch.
You can serve them with a simple yogurt-garlic sauce or a tomato sauce.
As appetizers, they pair well with raw vegetables or pickles.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use potatoes boiled a day before?
Yes, previously boiled potatoes work well, but they should be stored in the fridge. Grate them so they incorporate easily.

2. Can the patties be baked in the oven?
Yes, but the final texture will be different, a bit drier and less crispy than frying. Drizzle them with a little oil before baking.

3. What can I substitute for cheese?
You can use another type of hard cheese that grates. Try Emmental, Gouda, or even a stronger cheese for a bolder flavor.

4. If I don't have dill, can I use parsley?
Yes, parsley can be used, but the taste will be milder.

5. What should I do if they fall apart while frying?
Most likely, there is too little flour or the mixture is too wet. Add 1-2 tablespoons of flour and ensure the oil is hot enough when you fry them.

Nutritional values

Estimated, per serving (from 4): about 250-300 kcal, with variations depending on how much oil they absorb during frying.
Proteins: 8-10 g
Carbohydrates: 28-30 g
Fats: 12-15 g
These are approximate calculations, as oil absorption during frying can vary.

Storage and reheating

They can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days. Reheated in the oven or in a pan without oil are better than in the microwave, where they become soft. Freezing is not recommended – the texture won't be the same after thawing. They are best served fresh.

 Ingredients: 500 g potatoes 2 eggs 100 g cheese 1/2 bunch of dill pepper sweet paprika salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 50 g melted butter 5-6 tablespoons flour

 Tags:  potato balls cheese balls cheese