This kuku potato Saffron Recipe turns a soft saffron potato mixture into crisp, stuffed patties. Inside each potato kuku is a savoury filling of mushroom, walnut and melting cheese, while a light breadcrumb coating gives the outside its crunch.
The recipe is closer to a stuffed potato kuku than a single pan-sized kuku. Shaping individual pieces makes it easier to hold the filling in the centre and fry each one evenly.
Ingredients
- 1 kg floury potatoes
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon saffron infusion
- 200 g mushrooms, finely chopped
- 100 g walnuts, finely chopped
- 100 g grated mozzarella or another mild melting cheese
- 100 g fine, dry breadcrumbs, plus more if needed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Neutral oil for shallow-frying
Use a dry, floury potato rather than a waxy salad potato. The mash should hold its shape without a large amount of flour, which keeps the finished kuku tender rather than dense.
Cook and dry the potatoes
Scrub the potatoes and place them in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a simmer and cook until a knife slides into the centre easily, usually 20 to 30 minutes depending on size.
Drain thoroughly. Let the potatoes stand until they are cool enough to handle, then peel and grate or mash them. Spread the potato on a tray for 10 minutes so steam can escape. Wet, hot mash makes the patties difficult to shape.
Prepare the mushroom filling
Warm 1 teaspoon of oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms with a pinch of pepper and cook until their liquid has evaporated and the pieces begin to brown.
Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and let them cool. Stir in the chopped walnuts and grated cheese. Do not add the cheese while the mushrooms are hot, or it will melt before the kuku is assembled.
Mix the saffron potato base
Add the eggs, saffron infusion, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to the cooled potato. Mix with clean hands just until even. If the mixture feels very soft, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs and wait 5 minutes before adding more.
A concentrated infusion gives flavour without making the potatoes watery. Our guide to brewing saffron explains how to prepare it.
Fill and shape the potato kuku
Divide the potato mixture into 10 equal portions. Flatten one portion in your palm into a disc about 1 cm thick. Put a heaped teaspoon of mushroom filling in the centre, then bring the potato up around it and seal the edges.
Shape the filled portion into a small oval or round patty. Check that no cheese is exposed, then coat it lightly in breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining mixture and chill the shaped patties for 15 minutes if they feel soft.
Shallow-fry until crisp
Pour oil into a heavy frying pan to a depth of about 5 mm and warm it over medium heat. Add one breadcrumb; it should sizzle steadily but not turn dark immediately.
Place the kuku in the pan without crowding. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, then turn with a thin spatula and cook the other side until deeply golden. Stand each patty briefly on its edges if they still look pale.
Move the cooked kuku to a rack or paper-lined plate. Keep the heat moderate: very hot oil colours the crumbs before the egg in the potato mixture has time to set.
Serve the saffron potato kuku
Let the patties rest for 3 minutes before serving, because the cheese filling will be hot. A cucumber and tomato salad, plain yogurt or fresh herbs provides a cool contrast to the crisp coating.
The original recipe also suggested a pasta-style filling. That can work if you use a fully cooked, fairly dry minced-meat or lentil sauce. Cool it completely and add only a teaspoon to each patty so the seal stays closed.
How to stop the patties breaking
- Drain and steam-dry the cooked potatoes.
- Cool both the potato base and mushroom filling before shaping.
- Keep the filling in the centre and seal every crack.
- Chill soft patties for 15 minutes before frying.
- Turn each kuku once the first side has formed a firm crust.
This recipe contains egg, dairy, wheat and walnuts. The old article’s total-calorie figure has not been retained because serving size and absorbed frying oil were not measured.
