Mashed potatoes are one of those foods where you think there’s nothing wrong with them. But those who make it regularly know that sometimes it comes out fluffy and soft, and other times heavy and sticky. At the same time, the difference is often not in the raw materials, but in one small detail during preparation.
Mashed potatoes are at first glance, but anyone who prepares them at home knows that they can easily turn into a thick and heavy mass. At the same time, a small change is all it takes to turn the porridge into a soft and beautifully fluffy one. The key is warm milk, a simple little thing that has a surprising effect.
Watch the video with the recipe for fluffy mashed potatoes here:
Why not cold milk?
Cold milk literally “stops” the potatoes. and the ice liquid will coagulate, the mash will become heavy and no longer smooth. On the contrary, if you warm the milk slightly, all the flavors and structures will come together naturally, the porridge will remain soft and can be beautifully whipped into the creamy consistency we know from good restaurants.
“The biggest mistake people make is that they pour cold milk into hot potatoes. This will make the potatoes shrink and the mash will never be fluffy again. If you warm the milk first, it will combine with the potatoes much better and the resulting mash will be velvety,” chef David Šlapák told Recipe.
Recipe for soft mashed potatoes
Raw materials:
- 1 kg of type B or C potatoes
- 150-200 ml warm milk
- 50 g of butter
- salt to taste
- nutmeg
Procedure:
Peel the potatoes, cut them into smaller pieces and boil them in salted water until soft. Once they are done, drain the water and let them evaporate briefly. Heat the milk in a small saucepan, it is enough that it is warm, not boiling, and add the butter to it, which melts beautifully in the heat.
Mash or whip the potatoes and gradually add the warm milk and butter as needed. Blend until you have a soft and fluffy consistency. Finally, season with salt and a pinch of nutmeg.
When you want a really smooth porridge
The fact that you don’t shock the potatoes with cold liquid will affect the creaminess the most. Warm milk can loosen the texture and the potatoes absorb the liquid evenly. The porridge will then remain soft even after cooling and you don’t have to worry about lumps or a sticky consistency.
At the same time, warm milk helps to enhance the taste of the potatoes themselves. As a result, the porridge is light, velvety and naturally sweetened. With a piece of butter on top and a pinch of nutmeg, you have a side dish that will do honor to even ordinary everyday meals.
