Crisp and golden patties dressed to impress. By Nigel Slater
The recipe
Peel and cut 1kg of sweet potatoes into large chunks, then steam or boil for about 20 minutes until tender enough to crush. Drain and mash with 50g of butter and set aside to cool.
Put 120g of crisp, fine crumbs on a plate then grate 1 tsp of fine lemon zest and 1 tbsp of chopped tarragon into them and combine. Crack 1 egg into a shallow bowl and briefly beat with a fork to mix the white and yolks.
When the mash is cool, shape into 4 large balls then pat them, in floury hands, into a patty shape. Put them on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Warm a little groundnut or vegetable oil in a nonstick frying pan, lower the cakes into the hot oil and leave to cook, without moving them, for 4 or 5 minutes until the underside is crisp and golden. Carefully, using a palette knife or fish slice, turn the cakes over and lightly crisp the other side. Serves 2 generously.
The trick
Drain the potatoes very thoroughly before mashing. Let the mash cool before shaping into cakes. Let the cakes rest fully before cooking. If your mixture seems too soft to shape, stir in a 1 to 2 tbsp of flour. Once you have put the cakes into the hot oil, dont move them until the base has crisped, then turn them carefully over and let the other side become completely crisp before removing from the pan.
The twist
Serve them with a quick tomato and basil sauce. Chop 500g of tomatoes then cook them with 2 crushed cloves of garlic in 3 tbsp of olive oil for 15-20 minutes, crushing them as you go. Season with salt, pepper and 10 shredded basil leaves. As soon as you have a rough, basil-scented sauce, serve with the sweet potato cakes.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @NigelSlater
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