What to Do with Leftover Boiled Potatoes

As potatoes boil, their starch granules absorb water and swell; that is why hot potatoes are soft and get crushed under a knife. As the potatoes cool, the swollen starch reorganizes and the texture firms up. The effect varies by potato type. Starchy potatoes fall apart while hot but can be chopped once cool, so they benefit the most from being left over. Waxy potatoes already hold their shape; when cold, they are simply firmer. This distinction determines which dish to use leftover potatoes in. If you do not know what type you have, chop a piece and check: if the edges crumble, the potato is starchy.

The most common use is skillet potatoes. Cut the cold potatoes, with or without their skins, into large cubes or thick slices, then fry them in a hot skillet with a little oil. Arrange the pieces in a single layer in the pan and do not turn them until one side is golden; cold potatoes hold together in the pan while they wait, whereas hot potatoes get crushed on the first turn. Fry potatoes with onion and sucuk, and crack an egg over them to make a breakfast skillet. Waxy potatoes give the most even result for this dish.

Potato salad is also easier to make with leftover potatoes. When hot potatoes are chopped, their edges crumble, they absorb the dressing, and they get crushed; cold potatoes make neat cubes and keep the dressing on their surface. Chop the potatoes and toss them with onion, parsley, dill, and a lemon dressing with olive oil. If you are making salad with starchy potatoes, they must be completely cool; starchy potatoes that are still a little warm crumble as you mix them. If the salad rests for a while, the potatoes absorb the flavor of the dressing; adding a spoonful of yogurt to the dressing gives it a milder flavor.

Cold grated potatoes work well in fried mixtures. Grate the potatoes coarsely, mix them with salt, black pepper, and, if desired, a little grated onion, then spread them in a flat layer in a pan and fry the two sides. Hot potatoes cannot be grated without turning mushy; cold potatoes separate into thin strands and form a crisp crust in the pan. If you bind the same grated mixture with egg and flour, it can be used for potato patties or fritters; if the mixture falls apart, add a little more flour.

The one place where leftover potatoes do not work well is mashed potatoes. Mash potatoes while they are hot; cooled, firm potatoes become lumpy when mashed, and if they are reheated and mashed for a long time, they turn sticky. For this reason, add a small amount of leftover potatoes to soup instead of making mashed potatoes: mash them into leek or vegetable soup to thicken it. Potatoes with green patches on their skins should be set aside regardless of which dish you plan to use them in; do this before boiling.