Best Tip to Mash Boiled Potatoes
There’s a super simple technique we use at Local Aromas to mash boiled potatoes and it’s probably the best tip ever as it does not require you to peel the potatoes and burn your hands in the process! Watch our latest video to find out how Mamma Giuliana achieves the best, lump-free texture using a simple, inexpensive kitchen gadget and follow her instructions and tips to make stellar mash like a real Italian.
The very first step is to place washed, unpeeled potatoes in a pot with cold water. Once the water boils, let the potatoes cook for about 20 minutes or until they are tender. Remove them from the water and place them in a clean, dry towel. Now comes the fun part! In the video below, Mamma Giuliana shows you how to use an Italian-style schiaccia patate which will change the way you make mashed potatoes forever.
The quirky schiaccia patate literally means ‘potato squasher’ and this manual, metal gadget does just that. The machine works by simply squeezing the potato through multiple small holes to create strands of mash which can then easily be kneaded or mixed together. Using the schiaccia patate also means that there is no need to peel the potatoes (and burn your hands in the process!) as the machine does the hard work for you. All you need is a little muscle power and in no time you will have a mountain of mash ready for your chosen recipe.
While there are many ways to mash boiled potatoes, most of them have their faults. Mashing by hand is hard work and almost always results in stubborn lumps while using an electric blender or mixer will overwork the starch in the potatoes making the mash more liquid, gluey and gloopy. This will cause your potato gnocchi to be heavy and sticky. By contrast, this failsafe method guarantees the perfect, non-sloppy, smooth, consistency which will ensure that your gnocchi are light, fluffy, and delicious. Get your very own schiaccia patate on the Local Aromas Foodie Store!
