ROOTS & WINGS

6. Potato Waffles

So there are clichés about every nation making the round, so also about Germany. We are not only krauts but also kartoffeln (potatoes)... and, dudes, concerning the latter, you are landed with a GOOD German.

Like ANY decent person, I also don't exactly hate waffles. (Seriously, who am I?)

So, I consulted the cookbook library (don't ask), and eventually found this recipe in Norwegian cook Ina-Janina Johnsen's Kartoffelglück (roughly Potato Heaven).

This is a savory, easy-to-make, "honest" (as we say in German) food that has the potential for soul food. => (Seriously, with handmade sour cream... duuuude!)

So, guys: instead of "Pens out, class test!", rather "Waffle iron out, lunch / dinner time!"




Serves: 5-7 waffles I had 5 big and 2 smaller ones.

Prep Time: about 1.5-2 hrs including making the waffles.

Degree of Difficulty: Easy




WE NEED


WAFFLES


500 gr / 1.1 lb. potatoes I used primarily waxy ones, my default choice.
2 eggs
200 ml / 6.75 US fl.oz. milk
100 gr / 3.5 oz. flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

100 gr / 3.5 oz. grated cheese Of course Parmegiano Reggiano. BUT! Make sure it's REALLY from Italy (protected designation of origin seal). What they sell in supermarkets, even here in Europe, is not only cheap but also inferior in quality.

3 scallions (spring onions) Used four as the bunch turned out a bit, uh, meagre.
1 tbsp chives
salt
pepper
Vegetable oil OR butter for the waffle iron



SOUR CREAM Quatities for a small or big (parenthesis) bowl.


250 (500) gr / 8.8 oz. (1.1 lb) curd
100 (200) gr / 3.5 (7) oz. natural sour cream UN-sweetened, UN-DE-whatever, or otherwise ruined
1/2 (1) red onion
1 (2) garlic clove(s)
1.5 (2-3) tbsp dark balsamic vinegar Remember the protected designation of origin seal, if you can. See above
1/2 (1) tbsp sugar
1/4 (1/2) tsp salt + pepper

25 (50) gr / 1 (1.75) oz. frozen mixed herbs Like parsley, dill, chives, cress, chervil, sorrel, borage + (salad) burnet, my go-to mix.




WE DO


1. Cook and let cool off the potatoes. Wash and finely chop scallions (spring onions) + chives. Grate the cheese.


2. Mash the potatoes and add all other ingredients. I first roughly mashed the potatoes, then added everything else and continued mashing then. So the ingredients ended up thoroughly mixed. A few small bits remained in the dough that didn't negatively influence texture, though, on the contrary.

3. Grease the waffle iron, and off you go. TRY the first waffle. When it's too little flavored for your taste, you can spice up the rest of the dough Lay the waffles on a rack. Since I'm alone, I portioned the dough, instead, keeping the rest in the fridge. Made 3 main courses.


VARIATION: I did the recipe, BUT then thought: what makes (almost) everything better (except Parmesan and Gorgonzola)? Yeees... bacon!

So today I very finely chopped 2 slices of Speck Alto Adige (South Tirol bacon), gently fried it and mixed it into the dough. If you do this variation, let the bacon cool off, otherwise the egg curdles.


Otherwise... Hmmmmm!