Butter-free potato purée: yummy and healthy
Butter-free potato purée: yummy and healthy
Ingredients
Ingredienti
- 1 kg Potatoes
- 100 ml Milk
- qb Salt and Pepper
- 2 tablespoons EVO oil
- qb chopped fresh herbes, spices
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into evenlysized pieces.
- Place the diced potatoes in a potwith plenty of cold water, add salt and bring to a boil.
- Cook the potatoes until tender (prickthem with a fork to check).
- Drain the potatoes and place them ina bowl. Process them with a dicer until the flesh is smooth and lump-free.
- Heat the milk until hot but don’t letit boil.
- Gradually stir in the EVO oil and hotmilk until they have been absorbed and the texture is right.
- If you wish, you may adjust withsalt, pepper and spices.
If you are looking for a light and healthy alternative to classic potato purée, you should try using extra virgin olive oil rather than butter. Your potato purée will have all the creaminess of traditional purée but it will be much lighter. Read on and find out how to obtain a great result.
Preparation tips for butter-free potato purée
- Use the right type of potato: floury potatoes are ideal because of their high starch content, which yields a fluffy, creamy texture.
- You should cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. This size allows for quicker and more uniform cooking, hence the absence of lumps.
- Starting boiled potatoes in cold water is crucial for ensuring even cooking and preserving texture. This technique slowly heats the potatoes, enabling them to cook evenly, which prevents the outer layer from becoming mushy while the inside remains firm.
- Immediately stir in the salt until dissolved.
- Do not overcook the potatoes: they need to be cooked until tender all the way through, but no longer. Overcooked potatoes absorb too much water and become mushy.
- Use a potato ricer rather than a blender. The blender is too aggressive, it may break the starch molecules and the result will be sticky rather than fluffy.
Butter-free potato purée: why extra virgin olive oil?
Using extra virgin olive oil instead of butter turns a classic comfort food into a dish that is just as delicious but far preferable in terms of health and flavor. Extra virgin olive oil:
- Is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are known for their cardiovascular benefits, unlike the saturated fats found in butter.
- It contains antioxidants and polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties.
- Unlike butter, it is extremely digestible and is not heavy on the liver.
- Depending on the kind of oil you select, you will experience special notes of flavor, ranging from fresh herbs to fruitiness.
- EVO oil has a higher smoke point than butter, and retains its beneficial properties when heated.
For this recipe, we decided to use Farchioni Fruttato Leggero, characterized by a fresh, intense aroma and a delicate taste that blends perfectly with the other ingredients.
Time to try!
