Fried Potato and Balls

Potato fritters with sirene (Bulgarian feta cheese)

I found this recipe in a Bulgarian cookbook, which I used to experiment in Bulgarian cuisine while we were living in Sofia and Veliko Tarnovo. It makes a great snack, and I would whip these out in the afternoon for study breaks. Needless to say, a dish with both fried potatoes and fried cheese went over well with the kids. Served piping hot, they became more appreciated as the weather grew colder.

I made some adjustments to the recipe as I went along, and I think that my tweaked recipe (below) is more user-friendly than the original. Look for sirene cheese, also sometimes labeled as Bulgarian feta, or an authentic Greek feta as a substitute. And use a thick, Greek-style yogurt for the dipping sauce if you can find it. They’d make a great addition to a Spanish tapas meal, or serve them up on a cold autumn afternoon.

Ingredients:

· 2 ½ lbs. potatoes (russets or Yukon gold)

· 2 eggs

· 1 ½ c. sirene (Bulgarian feta cheese), shredded

· 1 c. onion, chopped fine

· 2 T. chopped parsley

· Salt

· ½ t. black pepper

· ½ c. flour

· 3-4 c. oil (sunflower or a good oil for frying)

· 1 T. chopped fresh dill

· 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

· 1 c. yogurt

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes until they’re soft enough to insert a fork, about 25 min. Peel and allow to cool.

2. Grate potatoes and add to a mixing bowl with the beaten eggs, onion, sirene and parsley. Add salt and pepper and mix to combine.

3. Add oil to a medium saucepan to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil to 375° F.

4. Make a dipping sauce by combining yogurt, garlic, and dill in a small bowl.

5. Put the flour in a shallow bowl or plate. Roll the potato mixture into balls of about 1½ in. diameter. Roll in flour to coat.

6. Fry the potato balls in small batches, 5-6 balls per batch. Adjust heat to maintain a constant temperature. The balls will be brown and crispy when done, about 5 min.

7. Drain the potato balls on paper towels. Keep the fried potato balls warm in the oven (200° F) until the last batch is finished.

8. Serve the potato balls warm with the dipping sauce.