Sage potato nuggets without yolks are tasty, flavorful, and aromatic. They can be served as finger food at appetizers, starters, or a side dish for Sunday lunch, parties, and so on. The potato nuggets only contain egg whites and no yolks and are therefore suitable for those who are intolerant to them. Potato nuggets are very easy, customizable, and can be prepared in advance to be fried or baked at the last minute. This tasty snack also allows us to use up leftover boiled potatoes or egg whites.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 30
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 14 oz boiled potatoes
- 4 tablespoons Pecorino Romano
- 4 leaves fresh sage
- 1 egg white
- to taste fine salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste breadcrumbs (also gluten-free)
Preparation
Boil the potatoes, peel them, pass them twice through a potato ricer, spread them with the back of a spoon, and let them cool a bit.
While the potato puree cools, grate the Pecorino Romano, finely chop the sage (alternatively use a teaspoon of dried sage or other spices you like), and place some breadcrumbs in a small bowl.
In a bowl, combine the cooled potato puree, the cheese, the unwhipped egg white, the chopped sage, a pinch of fine salt, and pepper (if you like). Mix the ingredients until completely combined. The mixture should be soft and compact enough to form nuggets without problems. If not, you can add about a tablespoon of breadcrumbs to the mixture.
Using a teaspoon, take an amount the size of a walnut, roll it between your hands, and coat it in breadcrumbs. Continue until all ingredients are used.
At this point, you can cook them immediately after breading. They can be fried or baked.
If you choose to bake them, set the oven temperature to 392°F and bake the nuggets at mid-height in a preheated oven for about 15/20 minutes. Do not extend the cooking time too much as they may become too dry inside. They should remain slightly moist and soft.
You can also choose to freeze them to have them always on hand. In this case, line up the nuggets that have already been passed in the breadcrumbs on a tray (so they do not stick to each other), cover them with cling film, and place them in the freezer. Once the nuggets are frozen, you can transfer them to a food bag. Do not thaw them before cooking (either fried or baked).
My advice: To prevent the nuggets from spreading on the baking tray or opening during baking, place them in the fridge for an hour after breading. This way, they will not only keep their shape but also gain more flavor.
