# How can I make potato balls?



## Luca Lazzari (Sep 14, 2012)

The question is misleading, but I'm not a master in English language, sorry...

What I want to do is this: if I have very big potatoes, is there a smart way to "carve" them to produce smaller, round, pieces? I know, I could buy small potatoes, but they're not always available.
May be this is a foolish idea, I just would like to know is someone is doing this thing


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## Aunt Bea (Sep 14, 2012)

How about using a melon ball scoop?

You will have some waste that can be boiled and mashed or fried.



Google: Pommes Parisienne


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## Luca Lazzari (Sep 14, 2012)

Aunt Bea said:


> How about using a melon ball scoop?
> 
> You will have some waste that can be boiled and mashed or fried.
> 
> ...



THANK YOU!

here we go:

Pommes Parisienne


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## CharlieD (Sep 14, 2012)

Luca, all you do is get one of those huge commercial potato grinders, that is supposed only work for cleaning/pealing potato, well not really pealing it just grinds the top of. Leave the big potato in it long enough till it becomes small.


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## taxlady (Sep 14, 2012)

CharlieD said:


> Luca, all you do is get one of those huge commercial potato grinders, that is supposed only work for cleaning/pealing potato, well not really pealing it just grinds the top of. Leave the big potato in it long enough till it becomes small.


That is what came to my mind too. But, if the big potato was cut into cubes, it would only be a bit wasteful.


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## CharlieD (Sep 14, 2012)

taxlady said:


> That is what came to my mind too. But, if the big potato was cut into cubes, it would only be a bit wasteful.



Yeah, but the whole point of puting the big potato in is so we all can have a good laugh


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## Luca Lazzari (Sep 14, 2012)

This reminds me of an old Italian TV comic show, in which a countryman works on a big log, until he gets a single toothpick out of it...

Here they are, the immortal Raimondo Vianello (the gentleman) and Ugo Tognazzi (the countryman). Sorry but it's in Italian 

Ugo Tognazzi e Raimondo Vianello ne "Il Troncio" - YouTube


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## Cerise (Sep 14, 2012)

Luca Lazzari said:


> The question is misleading, but I'm not a master in English language, sorry...
> 
> What I want to do is this: if I have very big potatoes, is there a smart way to "carve" them to produce smaller, round, pieces? I know, I could buy small potatoes, but they're not always available.
> May be this is a foolish idea, I just would like to know is someone is doing this thing


 
Sometimes it's hard to find small (loose) potatoes here, too. When I buy a 5 or 10 lb bag, there are lots of small potatoes. (Years ago, I tried the canned, & sauteed them in butter/oil, garlic, parsley & bread crumbs).

You could cook, mash & use an ice cream scoop or form balls by hand & freeze, i.e.

*Potato Spinach Cheese Balls*:

Idaho Potato Commission - Recipes: Idaho® Potato Spinach Balls

Some more ideas...

Make a giant potato pancake (or small potato pancakes), slice it like a pizza & serve individually. (Cook once & eat twice):

Potato Pancake | Williams-Sonoma

There's always Gnocchi. Make ahead & freeze.:

*Meyer Lemon Gnocchi*
Meyer Lemon Gnocchi Recipe - Steve Corry | Food & Wine

If you have an apple corer...

Barrel Potatoes
Cookery Art - Herbed barrel potatoes

(A pineapple corer might be another way to go.)


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## Merlot (Sep 14, 2012)

+ 1 to the melon baller, that is what I have always used


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## taxlady (Sep 14, 2012)

What do people do with the little potato balls?


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## Andy M. (Sep 14, 2012)

taxlady said:


> What do people do with the little potato balls?



They play Pin the Tail on the Potato


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## Oldvine (Sep 14, 2012)

I'm wondering too, what to do with little potato balls.  I'm sure they are cute and all that, but I would be making potato balls for hours to satisfy the mob.   Cubes are fine at our house.


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## Aunt Bea (Sep 15, 2012)

Normally you par boil them and then slowly brown them in a frying pan with lots of butter.

You can also brown them in the oven with some beef drippings.


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## Luca Lazzari (Sep 15, 2012)

Aunt Bea said:


> Normally you par boil them and then slowly brown them in a frying pan with lots of butter.
> 
> You can also brown them in the oven with some beef drippings.



That's what I want to do. Seasoning them with salt, pepper and fresh rosemary, after frying.
The point is to present a "stylish" plate of small, nice potatoes. Friends, i need to become more aristocratic in my cooking habits


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## Luca Lazzari (Sep 15, 2012)

Cerise said:


> ...
> *Potato Spinach Cheese Balls*:
> 
> Idaho Potato Commission - Recipes: Idaho® Potato Spinach Balls
> ...



Cerise, THANK YOU 

Tomorrow I definitely want to prepare that gorgeous potato pancake, I'll post some photo if I can make it properly.
About gnocchi, my grandma came from the Veneto region, Italy's gnocchi heartland. She always made gnocchi on sunday, and I kept stealing them raw from the table...
And I still have somewhere a postcard that a Mormon Elder sent to me when he went back to Idaho from Italy: a big truck carrying a giant potato, with a big text "We grow 'em big here!"


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## Andy M. (Sep 15, 2012)

I can't think of the term that describes a neatly trimmed peeled potato in the shape of a football (roughly).  Somebody help?
_
[this type]_ of potato presentation is also very elegant and used in aristocratic settings all the time.


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## Cerise (Sep 15, 2012)

Luca Lazzari said:


> Cerise, THANK YOU
> 
> Tomorrow I definitely want to prepare that gorgeous potato pancake, I'll post some photo if I can make it properly.
> About gnocchi, my grandma came from the Veneto region, Italy's gnocchi heartland. She always made gnocchi on sunday, and I kept stealing them raw from the table...
> And I still have somewhere a postcard that a Mormon Elder sent to me when he went back to Idaho from Italy: a big truck carrying a giant potato, with a big text "We grow 'em big here!"


 
I would like to see the stick of butter for that potato. 





I thought the Barrel Potatoes were unique, & easy to prepare (if one has the time to poke out all those holes.  lol). Boil & serve with herb butter.
Cookery Art - Herbed barrel potatoes


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## Luca Lazzari (Sep 15, 2012)

Cerise said:


> I would like to see the stick of butter for that potato.







Cerise said:


> I thought the Barrel Potatoes were unique, & easy to prepare (if one has the time to poke out all those holes.  lol). Boil & serve with herb butter.
> Cookery Art - Herbed barrel potatoes



I agree, but I'll try the pancake first


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## Andy M. (Sep 15, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> I can't think of the term that describes a neatly trimmed peeled potato in the shape of a football (roughly).  Somebody help?
> _
> [this type]_ of potato presentation is also very elegant and used in aristocratic settings all the time.



Found it:  Potato Tourne


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