For the choux pastry
- 40g butter
- 120ml water
- 60g flour
- 2 whole eggs, beaten
- Salt
- Sunflower oil for deep-frying
- Maldon sea salt flakes
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Prick the potatoes with a fork, place them over rack/tray, and bake for 55 minutes or until very soft.
2. When potatoes are cooked, cut them in half and push the flesh out of their skins and pass through a fine drum sieve. If you don’t have a drum sieve, you can use a potato ricer but ensure that there are no lumps in the potato mash. Add 40g butter and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix well and check seasoning. Add whole egg and mix well.
3. No make the choux pastry. Start by putting the water, butter and salt in a pan, let it come to a boil and until all butter is dissolved. Take off the heat, add the flour all at once and using a spatula, mix the dough vigorously until it comes off the sides of the pan. Transfer to a bowl, spreading the dough over the sides of the bowl to help cool down, and when cool, start adding the beaten eggs a little at a time until smooth and completely combined. The choux pastry should be smooth with no lumps.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the seasoned potatoes with the choux pastry and add the finely chopped thyme, mix well. Using a couple of spoons, dipping them in oil, make quenelles placing them over a tray lined with baking sheet, refrigerate until needed.
5. Turn deep fat fryer to 160-170°C. Deep-fry the Pommes Dauphine quenelles, sliding them in carefully. They are cooked when a nicely brown colour is achieved, about 4 minutes, turn them over. Drain on paper and serve immediately with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes.
