Cheese-stuffed tuna and potato balls
Grated boiled potato is mixed with tuna flakes, formed into balls, stuffed with cheese, rolled in panko and fried until golden. Enjoy as a side dish, appetizer or snack.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 3 potatoes 600 to 700 grams / 1.3 to 1.5 pounds total weight
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- 1 can tuna in brine (160 to 185 grams / 5 to 6.5 oz) well drained
- 100 to 125 grams mozzarella (3.5 to 4.4 oz) cut into one-inch cubes
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup panko
- cooking oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Rinse the potatoes and, without peeling them, cook in boiling water for about 20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and dump into a bowl of iced water.
- Peel the potatoes and grate.
- In a bowl, mix the grated potatoes with the salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cloves and thyme.
- Flake the drained tuna and stir into the potato mixture.
- Form the tuna-potato mixture into 12 balls.
- Poke each ball with a finger, insert a cube of cheese and re-roll to seal.
- Dredge the cheese-stuffed tuna-potato balls in flour, roll in beaten egg then cover with panko.
- In a wok or frying pan, heat enough cooking oil to reach a depth of at least three inches.
- When the oil is hot (350F) is the ideal temperature), fry the cheese-stuffed potato balls in batches until the crust is golden and crisp.
- Serve the cheese-stuffed tuna and potato balls immediately while the cheese inside is gooey.
