Il Cucinologo
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Stuffed Potato Hamburgers

17/11/2023

Stuffed potato hamburgers can be a delicious vegetarian alternative to classic meat hamburgers and lend themselves to numerous Italian-style variations. Here is a simple recipe you can follow:

Ingredients

  • 800 g potatoes
  • 100 g grated cheese (for example, Parmesan or Pecorino)
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Nutmeg (optional)
  • Flour, as needed for breading
  • Breadcrumbs, as needed for breading
  • Extra virgin olive oil or frying oil

For the filling:

  • 150 g mozzarella or a melty cheese of your choice
  • 60 g cooked ham (optional)
  • Aromatic herbs to taste (basil, parsley)
  • Other ingredients to taste (mushrooms, peppers, pitted Taggiasca olives, etc.)

Preparation

  1. Start by boiling the potatoes in salted water until they are well cooked. Once ready, drain them and mash with a potato masher or fork until you obtain a purée.
  2. Add the grated cheese, egg, a pinch of salt, pepper, and, if desired, a bit of nutmeg to the potato purée. Mix everything well to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
  3. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and, if you have chosen to use other filling ingredients, prepare them and cut them to suitable sizes.
  4. Take a portion of the potato mixture, flatten it on your hand, and place some mozzarella and the other filling ingredients in the center. Close with another portion of potatoes, sealing the edges well to form a hamburger.
  5. Coat each hamburger first in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in breadcrumbs.
  6. Heat plenty of oil in a pan and, once hot, fry the potato hamburgers until golden on both sides. Alternatively, you can bake them at 200 °C for about 20 minutes or until golden as desired.
  7. Drain the hamburgers on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil and serve hot.

Trivia

You have just prepared an Italian version of an extremely versatile dish. Stuffed potato hamburgers lend themselves to a thousand variations, depending on tastes and ingredient availability. They are excellent both as a main course and as an appetizer, perhaps reduced in size to become tasty little bites. Adding typical ingredients like Taggiasca olives or using regional cheeses can give a special and even more authentic touch to the recipe!