Potato Balls — The Comfort of Familiar Hands

The market continues its steady climb. I had 8 showings this week and 1 offers. My reputation precedes me now — the Greek agent who tells the truth about roofs and brings food to open houses. Worse reputations exist.

Sophia is preparing for exams with an intensity that would concern me if it were directed at anything other than academic achievement. She talked about it at dinner for twenty minutes and I understood approximately half of it but all of the joy behind it.

Mama is 86 and still at the bakery at 4 AM. I do not know how much longer she will do this. I do not ask. You do not ask Voula Papadopoulos about endings. You stand next to her and roll phyllo and trust that the beginning continues as long as the hands are moving.

I made moussaka because my hands needed the comfort of the familiar. Eggplant, meat sauce with cinnamon, the bechamel smooth as a lake at dawn. The kitchen smelled like olive oil and the coming rain and I thought: this is what survives. Not the money or the stress or the arguments about phyllo. The food survives. The recipes survive. The love baked into every dish survives.

The house was quiet this evening. I sat at the kitchen table with a glass of wine and the remains of dinner and I thought about all the tables I have sat at — Mama's table in Tarpon Springs, the table in the South Tampa house I lost, the table in the apartment where I started over, this table where I have fed my children for years. Every table is a different chapter. The food connects them all.

Moussaka carries the main memory of that evening, but it is never the only thing on a Greek table — and while the eggplant was layered and the bechamel cooled, my hands stayed busy with these potato balls, a small recipe Mama used to make on the side when the oven was already full and the table needed one more thing. They are nothing complicated. That is exactly the point. When you have been telling the truth about roofs all week and watching your daughter study with a ferocity that fills the house, you do not want complicated — you want something round and golden that holds its shape and tastes like enough.

Potato Balls

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan or kefalotyri cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Olive oil or neutral oil, for frying (about 1/2 inch depth in pan)

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes. Place cubed potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until completely tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot over low heat for 1—2 minutes to steam off excess moisture.
2. Make the mash. Mash the potatoes until smooth with no lumps. Stir in the butter and warm milk until fully incorporated. Let cool for 5 minutes so the egg does not scramble when added.
3. Season and bind. Mix in the beaten egg, grated cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley. Stir until the mixture is cohesive and holds together when pressed. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Shape the balls. Spread breadcrumbs on a shallow plate. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of potato mixture and roll between your palms into a smooth ball roughly 1.5 inches in diameter. Roll each ball gently in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Set aside on a parchment-lined tray. Repeat with remaining mixture.
5. Heat the oil. Pour olive oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat over medium heat until a breadcrumb dropped in sizzles immediately, about 350°F.
6. Fry until golden. Working in batches to avoid crowding, gently lower potato balls into the oil. Fry, turning every minute or so with a slotted spoon, until evenly golden brown on all sides, about 4—5 minutes total. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and season lightly with salt while hot.
7. Serve warm. Arrange on a platter. These are best served immediately while the outside is crisp, alongside a main dish or simply with a glass of wine and a quiet table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 235 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 31g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 310mg