MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

     Title: Artificial Potatoes
Categories: Side
     Yield: 1 Batch

MMMMM--------------------ARTIFICIAL POTATOES-------------------------
   1/2 c  Ground almonds; heaping
     2    Naples biscuits; grated or
          -pulsed in a food processor
          -into crumbs *
   3/4 c  Flour
   1/2 c  Butter; softened
     4 tb Sugar
   1/2 ts Orange flower water;
          -(optional)
     1    Egg
     1    Egg white
          Oil; for frying **

MMMMM----------------------NAPLES BISCUITS---------------------------
     4    Eggs
     1 tb Rosewater
     1 c  Sugar; +2 tb
 1 1/2 c  Flour

 Artificial Potatoes:

 Combine dry ingredients (almonds, biscuit crumbs, flour) and set
 aside. Cream the butter and sugar, then add the orange flower water,
 egg, and egg white and mix until well-combined. Dough should hold
 together and be soft but not too sticky.

 Shape dough in one of two ways:

 Cut or pinch off about 1 tb of dough and roll it in your hands until
 fairly round. Repeat. (I also flattened these round balls slightly
 for one round of frying; they cooked through somewhat better.)

 Chill dough for 10 minutes to let it firm up a bit, then roll it out
 on a floured board to about 1/4" thick; punch out rounds with a
 cookie cutter. Smaller rounds (1-1/2 to 2") are best.

 Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tb oil (see ** Note) in a
 skillet at medium-high heat and fry the Potatoes in batches, giving
 them a few minutes on each side, until golden-brown. As the Potatoes
 are done, place them on the lined plate to absorb excess oil. I
 didn't think they needed the flourish of extra melted butter on the
 side, but then again, melted butter never hurt anything.

 * Note on pulverizing the biscuits: I grated mine on a box grater, but
 since the edges are quite hard, the process was pretty messy and I
 ended up with uneven crumb size (powdery from the edges, larger from
 the softer centers). I'd use a food processor next time.

 ** Note on frying: The original recipe calls to fry the Potatoes in
 lard, but I don't exactly keep lard on hand. I fried the first batch
 in butter, which gave them a lovely browned-butter taste ... until,
 of course, the butter solids started burning. I switched over to oil
 and had more success. So, fry in your preferred fat.

 Naples Biscuits:

 Beat eggs and rosewater (by hand or with a mixer) until frothy; add
 sugar and flour and beat thoroughly, until lighter in color and very
 well blended. If dough seems too heavy or dry, add 1 ts cold water at
 a time. (My batter held together nicely at this point, similar to a
 pound cake batter. Since another Naples biscuit recipe I looked at
 didn't call for the addition of cold water to thin the batter, I left
 it out. I might try it next time to see if the water produces a
 slightly lighter biscuit, but these turned out just fine.)

 Bake in greased madeleine pans, filled with 2 tb batter each, for
 14 minutes at 350°F. They should be firm to the touch, lightly
 browned around the edges and on the scalloped bottoms, but the tops
 won't have much color. Turn onto a wire rack and cool completely.
 Makes 20 madeleines. (Mini-muffin tins would also work.)

 These Naples biscuits aren't showstoppers, and they don't clamor to be
 eaten by themselves, though I nibbled on one while making the
 Artificial Potatoes. They're dense, dry, and nicely rosewater-y, and
 that's about it. I understand why they were used more often as
 ingredient than eaten as a stand-alone treat.

 Recipe by Marissa Nicosia

 Recipe FROM: <https://rarecooking.com/2015/02/18/artificial-potatoes/>

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