Tortitas de Papa con Queso (Mexican Potato Cakes)

When life gives you too many potatoes (can there’s such a thing as too many potatoes) then make these delectable tortitas de papa or Mexican potato cakes. You can start from scratch our use leftover mashed potatoes and incorporate any additional flavors you’d like. This is a fun and budget friendly dish everyone in your family will love – it also happens to be one of my favorite ways to eat potatoes!

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients

• 2 lbs potatoes

• water for boiling

• ¾ cup white onion finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1.5 teaspoons salt adjust to taste

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper adjust to taste

• 1.5 cups shredded cheese of taste

• 1 cup breadcrumbs

• 1 cup vegetable oil or as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place potatoes in a pressure cooker pot, sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon salt and pour in water. Secure the lid on the pot, move valve to Sealing, set to Pressure Cook and time to 5 minutes. Allow to cook then once done, carefully do a quick release.

• While the potatoes are cooking place the tomatoes, onion, garlic and chile in a pot and pour in enough water to cover them. Simmer on the stove until everything is softened. Turn off the heat and set aside.

• Heat up the olive oil in a pan and once hot add the finely chopped onion. Stir now and then and add a little splash of water if needed to help them cook and brown and caramelize a bit. Once cooked set aside to cool.

• Once the potatoes have cooked, drain and place in a large bowl. Allow to cool until you can handle them. (You could also rinse with cold water to cool down faster, just make sure drain potatoes well to remove as much water as possible.)

• Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until there aren’t any large chunks left, then mix in the cooked onions, season with salt and pepper, and grated cheese or any other ingredient you are using. Mix until well combined then taste for salt.

• Next mix in the breadcrumbs gradually and mix until well combined. The mixture should not be sticky, if so you can add a little more breadcrumbs.

• Grab some of the potato mixture and make a flat patty and place on a large cutting board or baking sheet. Continue shaping the patties until you’ve used up all of the potato mixture. Place in the refrigerator to cool for at least 10 minutes or until ready to cook.

• Heat up the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and while it’s heating up you can coat the chilled potato cakes in the flour.

• Test the temperature of the oil by dropping a small piece of the potato mixture into it and it should bubble quickly.

• Carefully place a potato cake (or as many as you can fit without overcrowding the pan) into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes on one side then carefully flip over and fry another 2-3 minutes on the other side. You’ll know they’re ready when they are golden brown on both sides.

• Carefully remove the fried tortitas de papa and place on plate lined with paper towels or on a wire rack over a large baking sheet to drain off the excess oil.

• Repeat until all of the potato cakes have been fried and make sure there’s always enough oil in the frying pan to cook them. If needed add a little bit more then give it a couple of minutes to heat back up.

• Once you’re finished frying them, allow to cool slightly before serving