Potato Cheese Sticks
Golden and crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy on the inside, these Potato Cheese Sticks are the perfect snack or appetizer. Made with mashed potatoes, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of seasoning, they're deep-fried to perfection for a crunchy yet creamy bite. Sprinkle with chili powder for a spicy kick, or serve with ketchup for a classic dipping option. Best enjoyed hot and fresh!
Equipment
- kitchen scale or measuring cups
- medium pot (For boiling and deep frying)
- Large mixing bowl
- Potato masher or fork
- Rectangular pan (Mine is 8x6 inch, you can use a different size one.)
- Plastic Food Wrap
- Kitchen thermometer (to monitor oil temperature)
- Cooling rack (or large plate lined with kitchen paper)
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes (We will be needing 4 cups of mashed potatoes.)
- ½ cup glutinous rice flour (70g)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (40g)
- ¾ cup shredded cheese (lightly packed) (90g; I used a mix of 50% Parmesan and 50% mozzarella cheese. Feel free to use either one, both, or any other cheese of your choice.)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- oil (For deep frying; Can use vegetable oil, Canola oil, Peanut oil, Sunflower oil...)
- chili pepper powder (Or ketchup.)
Instructions
- Peel 4 large potatoes. Cut them into evenly sized chunks, about 1-2 inches each.
- Place the potato chunks in a medium pot and cover them with cold water. Add 1 tsp of salt (optional) to the water.
- Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let the potatoes simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until they are fork-tender.
- Once cooked, drain the potatoes using a colander.
- Weigh out 850g of boiled potatoes and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. (If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can measure approximately 4 cups of mashed potatoes after mashing.) Use a potato masher or a fork to mash them until smooth and lump-free.
- While the mashed potatoes are still warm, add glutinous rice flour, cornstarch, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Mix and knead thoroughly until a smooth dough forms.
- Line a rectangular pan (or dish) with plastic food wrap. Transfer the dough into the pan and press it evenly to form a uniform layer.
- Cover and place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up the dough.
- Once the dough is firm, take it out of the freezer and turn it onto a cutting board. Carefully peel off the plastic food wrap.
- Use a knife to cut the dough into 8 sticks, each approximately 1 inch x 1 inch x 6 inches. Optionally, use the back of the knife to press lines onto the surface of the sticks to create a pattern. This increases the contact area between the oil and the potato, making the surface crispier.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pan to 320°F (160°C).
- Fry the potato cheese sticks for 5 minutes until slightly golden but not browned. Remove them and set aside on a cooling rack.
- Raise the oil temperature to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry the potato cheese sticks again for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they turn golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the fried sticks from the oil and place them on a cooling rack or a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain excess oil.
- Sprinkle with salt and chili pepper powder or dip in ketchup for extra flavor. Serve hot.