How to make mashed potatoes: a recipe for tender mashed potatoes without lumps

Mashed potatoes are one of the most popular dishes on the table of Russians. It seems that it's easy to cook, but the process requires knowledge of the nuances. The ideal puree should be delicate, airy, with a creamy texture and a pleasant creamy yellow color, without lumps and stickiness. Many housewives face problems: mashed potatoes turn out to be sticky, watery, or with an unpleasant gray tint. How to make the perfect mashed potatoes is in the Izvestia article.

Choosing the right potato

For the perfect mashed potatoes, you need to choose potatoes with a high starch content. There is a simple folk way to check: you need to cut the tuber into two halves and rub them together — if there is a lot of starch, the halves will stick together and will not disintegrate. New potatoes are not suitable for mashed potatoes, as there is not enough starch in them, and the dish will turn out with lumps.

Three varieties of potatoes are most popular for making mashed potatoes. "Adretta" is perfectly boiled during cooking, "Blue" does not darken and crumbles slightly, and "Svitanok Kievsky" has an excellent taste and boils well.

Proper cooking

It is better to start cooking peeled potatoes immediately and not leave them in cold water for a long time, as this leaches out the starch and affects the taste of the dish. The tubers should be immersed in boiling salted water and boiled for about 20 minutes until tender — if you start cooking in cold water, the top layer may boil, and the middle will remain raw.

The most important secret is getting rid of excess moisture after cooking. After the water is drained, put the pot of potatoes on the fire and dry the tubers. If the liquid remains in the potatoes, then when whipping, excess water will react with starch, and you will get a paste or jelly. Some chefs recommend baking potatoes in their skins instead of cooking them — this way they have more nutrients left in them, and the mashed potatoes taste better.

Ways of chopping potatoes

It is better not to use a blender or a food processor to make mashed potatoes. At high speeds, the blender destroys the structure of the potato, turning it into a sticky, sticky mass. The best option is to rub the hot potatoes through a fine sieve, this method allows you to achieve the most delicate and uniform texture.

You can also use a regular potato masher — first you need to mash the potatoes without adding anything. It is acceptable to use a mixer, but only after rubbing the potatoes with a potato masher or through a sieve. For large volumes, restaurants use special manually operated cleaning sieves or cleaning machines.

The sequence of adding ingredients

The main rule when adding ingredients is to mix only hot ingredients. The starch contained in potatoes freezes when it cools, and it is difficult to break it down. First, melted hot butter is added to the mashed potatoes — about 100 g of butter is needed for 1 kg of potatoes, you don't have to spare it.

After the butter, pour in small portions of hot milk or cream, continuing to mix the puree. If you pour in cold milk, the puree will become sticky, and the color will acquire an unpleasant gray tint. It is necessary to strictly follow this sequence, since butter gives flavor, and milk regulates the density. Those who fast can use almond or soy milk.

Secrets of airy texture

After adding the oil, it is recommended to beat the mashed potatoes with a whisk — this gives the dish airiness and lightness. It is important to use a whisk, not a mixer or blender. The result is mashed potatoes, which, when served, can be supplemented with hot milk to the desired consistency.

The professional secret is to add one raw beaten egg to the finished puree. At home, add a little hot milk and beaten egg to the mashed potatoes, then beat with a whisk before serving. This makes the texture even more delicate and airy, and gives the dish a restaurant-like appearance and taste.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.