I love meatballs and this time I decided to present fried cheese potato balls with three different types of regional cheeses in the dough. I chose pecorino romano, pecorino from Marche, and classic provolone to add more flavor and taste to this appetizer that you can serve either hot or cold.
The cheese potato balls can also be served as a buffet aperitif to accompany a sparkling wine or the ever-constant spritz! I had lunch yesterday with these meatballs pouring a nice glass of bubbly spumante passerina and the pairing was perfect, a crispy appetizer with a soft heart that goes perfectly with the bubbles.
On the blog, I have published many meatball recipes because I literally adore them, and my family loves them too. You can read them all in the collection meatball recipes, among my favorites are the crispy and tasty baked potato balls. In fact, if you don’t want to fry today’s cheese and potato balls, you can bake them, turning them several times during cooking. I would recommend setting the oven to 356°F with static mode and cooking for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep in mind that the potatoes are already pre-cooked because we will have boiled them before using them for the dough of the cheese and potato balls.
Below I leave you other recipes you can prepare with potatoes. I recommend not missing the potatoes with yogurt and chive sauce, an easy and quick side dish perfect for the beautiful season. Remember that I am waiting for you every day in the group and on the Facebook fan page with the Recipe of the Day, an unmissable appointment to start the day all together with a sweet or savory treat!
Let’s move on to the recipe and the video recipe of the fried cheese potato balls that you find under the first photograph!
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Low Cost
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 282.26 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 6.15 (g) of which sugars 0.44 (g)
- Proteins 2.98 (g)
- Fat 27.76 (g) of which saturated 4.11 (g)of which unsaturated 21.77 (g)
- Fibers 0.61 (g)
- Sodium 341.37 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 30 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients to prepare about 20 fried cheese potato balls
- 3 potatoes (medium-large)
- 0.7 oz breadcrumbs
- 1.8 oz pecorino romano (grated)
- 1.8 oz pecorino (Marche-style, grated)
- 1.8 oz provolone (grated)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- to taste nutmeg
- to taste dried parsley
- 1 egg
- 2 cups cups sunflower oil (or oil for frying)
- to taste breadcrumbs (for coating the balls)
Don’t be intimidated by the long list of necessary ingredients for making the cheese and potato balls. They aren’t many and will be mixed all together to create the dough.
Tools to prepare cheese potato balls with three cheeses in the dough
- 1 Potato Peeler
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 2 Pots
- 1 Bowl
- 2 Plates
- 1 Tray
- 1 Slotted Spoon
- 1 Fork
- 1 Spoon
- 4 Paper Towel
- 1 Small Bowl
Recipe steps for fried cheese potato balls
Start the preparation by peeling the potatoes after washing them under the tap water and patting them dry with a cloth or some paper towels. Then place them on a wooden cutting board and cut into even-sized cubes; this will make it easier during the first cooking phase in boiling water. We will indeed bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt to cook the potatoes for about 20-25 minutes. Test with a fork before draining the potatoes: if the fork goes in without effort, they are ready.
Let them cool for about ten minutes before proceeding with the recipe, but get ahead by mashing the potatoes while hot with a spoon or fork. Meanwhile, grate the cheeses directly into a nice large bowl. I chose: pecorino romano with its unmistakable flavor, pecorino from Marche that I love, and finally, provolone to balance the flavor and taste of the potato balls.
Add to the bowl where you grated the cheeses a pinch of nutmeg, pepper, and parsley. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and add the mashed potatoes now lukewarm. Work the dough well with your hands or with a spoon: the ingredients must blend well as we will not add the egg to this potato and cheese dough.
Place a large plate near you on the work surface where you will place the cheese and potato balls. Take a smaller shallow plate and pour some breadcrumbs. Take also the egg and break it into a small bowl, beating it with a fork. We can proceed with making the potato balls. Oil your hands with sunflower oil and take about 25 to 30 grams of dough, working it with your hands and trying to press the mixture, thus creating the balls that we will place one by one in the shallow plate.
When we have finished the dough, it will be time to bread the balls. Before getting our hands dirty, however, turn on the stove where we will place a pot with sunflower oil or frying oil, so it can heat to the right point for cooking the balls. Then pass the balls first in the bowl with beaten egg, then the plate with the breadcrumbs, placing them back on the plate where they were initially. When we have breaded all the balls, we can proceed with frying.
Cook 4 to 5 potato balls at a time to better control cooking. They should indeed turn golden brown and crispy. Do not turn the flame too high, otherwise, you will get balls that are dark outside and not cooked inside. The main feature of these cheese balls is to have a nice crispy crust and a soft, cheesy inside.
Proceed with cooking all the cheese balls and gradually drain the excess oil on a tray covered with frying paper or with kitchen paper. Serve the potato balls with some sauces or a fresh salad. You can serve the balls hot or cold: they are delicious in both cases.
I just have to wish you a good appetite and remind you that I am waiting for you every day here on my blog with many easy, quick, and delicious recipes like this one!
Tips and variations of the recipe:
As already mentioned, I recommend working the dough well with your hands so that it is well compact. It’s essential to apply good pressure during the making of the balls. Another important tip is not to turn the heat too high for frying the cheese balls.
Variations you can make to this recipe include, for example, a double breading of the balls: first in egg, then in flour, and finally in breadcrumbs. You can use or not the nutmeg if you don’t like it, or substitute the parsley with chives if you prefer. Of course, you can also change the types of cheeses, choosing according to your taste.
