Kaşarlı Patates Köftesi

Cheesy Potato Croquette 

• 4 Potatoes
• 1/3 c. Bread Crumbs
• 1 tsp. Sweet Red Pepper Paste (or Tomato)
• 1 T. Semolina Flour
• 2 pinches Parsley (fresh chopped or dried)
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 2 dashes Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 dashes Black Pepper
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

For Dipping, before Frying:

• 1 Egg
• ¼ tsp. Salt
• ¼ c. Flour
• ½ c. Bread Crumbs
• Oil, for frying

1. Peel & boil potatoes until soft.
2. Mash potatoes with a fork and let cool slightly.
3. Mix in Bread Crumbs, Red Pepper (or Tomato) Paste, Semolina Flour, Parsley, Salt, Red Pepper, and Black Pepper to cooled Potatoes. Use your hands to knead the mixture until completely blended.
4. Form an egg-shaped ball with the potato mixture. Use your finger to create a hole through the middle. Fill the hole with cheese and close hole.  Set each potato croquette aside as you finish.
5. Choose 3 small bowls. In the first bowl place ¼ c. Flour. In the 2^nd bowl whisk together an Egg and ¼ tsp of Salt. Put ½ c. Bread Crumbs in the 3^rd
6. Individually roll each croquette in each of three mixtures: first flour, then egg & salt, then bread crumbs.  Place each dipped croquette on a plate until all of them are ready.
7. Pour some oil into a pan (about 1-2 centimeters deep) and heat. Gently place each one into the pan with hot oil. Fry in oil until golden brown. Turn croquettes during the frying process so they fry evenly golden brown on all sides. (Be careful when working with hot oil as it tends to splatter and can easily burn you.)
8. As each croquette is finished, remove it from the oil and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to catch grease drips.
9. Serve immediately while still hot for best results. (This is a great side dish, appetizer or snack. These special potato croquettes are often served at village breakfasts called Serpme Kahvaltı.)

Fresh Croquettes ready to serve with melted cheese inside

Add ingredients to Potato Mash

Forming and stuffing croquettes

Dipping & frying croquettes

Video of dipping and frying croquettes

Frying the second side, almost finished