Potato croquettes are made with eggs and potatoes, then breaded, fried, and served as an appetizer or side dish.
The shape can vary a lot: they are often cylindrical (especially the frozen, industrial ones), in the shape of a meatball, or sometimes in the same shape as the supplì.
Croquettes were originally a noble dish to be enjoyed at the table, meaning they were not considered street food. It is no coincidence that the name is derived from the French croquette.
Their story, in fact, starts right from France in the Angevin era, which changed southern Italy (and, in particular, the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily) so much in terms of gastronomy.
In Rome they are a classic pizzeria dish: potato croquettes and supplì are eaten before pizza.

Potato croquettes

  • Preparation time: 120 minutes
  • Ingredients for 20-24 potato croquettes
  • Difficulty: Average difficult recipe

  • Ingredients
  • 2 lb. (800 grams) of potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 oz (50 grams) of grated Parmesan cheese
  • Nutmeg to taste
  • Chopped parsley to taste
  • 1 mozzarella purchased two days before
  • All-purpose flour to taste
  • 1 egg
  • Breadcrumbs to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Peanut oil for frying to taste
  1. Instructions
  2. Boil the potatoes in water. When the potatoes have cooled down, remove the skin and pass over them with a potato masher at least a couple of times.
  3. Add the eggs, grated parmesan, chopped parsley, and some grated nutmeg. Mix the ingredients well and add salt if necessary.
  4. Cut the mozzarella into fillets.
  5. Take a generous spoonful of the mixture and form some egg-shaped croquettes, inside which you put the piece of mozzarella.
  6. Place them on a cutting board with baking paper. Leave the cutting board with the croquettes in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.
  7. In the meantime, prepare what is needed for the breading. In a dish, beat the egg with a pinch of pepper. In another dish arrange the flour, in another one the breadcrumbs.
  8. Roll the croquettes in flour, making sure to shake off the excess. Dip the croquettes in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Put them on a plate.
  9. In a pan, heat plenty of oil. When it is at a temperature (325°F), dip some croquettes in it.
  10. When the surface of the breading is golden brown, drain the croquettes and place them on a plate with absorbent paper. Season with salt and serve.

Tips to ensure the success of the dish:

  • Floury and compact potatoes and a well-drained mozzarella of whey and milk should be used.
  • If you like, you can do a double breading: the croquettes will have a thicker and therefore more crunchy shell. In this case, increase the dose of egg and breadcrumbs.
  • Do not fill the frying pan with croquettes too much so as not to cause the temperature to drop too much. It is better to carry out several consecutive cooking.
  • Always use a thermometer to measure the oil temperature. It is an inexpensive tool and is useful for keeping the oil from exceeding the smoke point.