MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Artificial Potatoes Categories: Side Yield: 1 Batch MMMMM--------------------ARTIFICIAL POTATOES------------------------- 1/2 c Ground almonds; heaping 2 Naples biscuits; grated or -pulsed in a food processor -into crumbs * 3/4 c Flour 1/2 c Butter; softened 4 tb Sugar 1/2 ts Orange flower water; -(optional) 1 Egg 1 Egg white Oil; for frying ** MMMMM----------------------NAPLES BISCUITS--------------------------- 4 Eggs 1 tb Rosewater 1 c Sugar; +2 tb 1 1/2 c Flour Artificial Potatoes: Combine dry ingredients (almonds, biscuit crumbs, flour) and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar, then add the orange flower water, egg, and egg white and mix until well-combined. Dough should hold together and be soft but not too sticky. Shape dough in one of two ways: Cut or pinch off about 1 tb of dough and roll it in your hands until fairly round. Repeat. (I also flattened these round balls slightly for one round of frying; they cooked through somewhat better.) Chill dough for 10 minutes to let it firm up a bit, then roll it out on a floured board to about 1/4" thick; punch out rounds with a cookie cutter. Smaller rounds (1-1/2 to 2") are best. Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tb oil (see ** Note) in a skillet at medium-high heat and fry the Potatoes in batches, giving them a few minutes on each side, until golden-brown. As the Potatoes are done, place them on the lined plate to absorb excess oil. I didn't think they needed the flourish of extra melted butter on the side, but then again, melted butter never hurt anything. * Note on pulverizing the biscuits: I grated mine on a box grater, but since the edges are quite hard, the process was pretty messy and I ended up with uneven crumb size (powdery from the edges, larger from the softer centers). I'd use a food processor next time. ** Note on frying: The original recipe calls to fry the Potatoes in lard, but I don't exactly keep lard on hand. I fried the first batch in butter, which gave them a lovely browned-butter taste ... until, of course, the butter solids started burning. I switched over to oil and had more success. So, fry in your preferred fat. Naples Biscuits: Beat eggs and rosewater (by hand or with a mixer) until frothy; add sugar and flour and beat thoroughly, until lighter in color and very well blended. If dough seems too heavy or dry, add 1 ts cold water at a time. (My batter held together nicely at this point, similar to a pound cake batter. Since another Naples biscuit recipe I looked at didn't call for the addition of cold water to thin the batter, I left it out. I might try it next time to see if the water produces a slightly lighter biscuit, but these turned out just fine.) Bake in greased madeleine pans, filled with 2 tb batter each, for 14 minutes at 350 F. They should be firm to the touch, lightly browned around the edges and on the scalloped bottoms, but the tops won't have much color. Turn onto a wire rack and cool completely. Makes 20 madeleines. (Mini-muffin tins would also work.) These Naples biscuits aren't showstoppers, and they don't clamor to be eaten by themselves, though I nibbled on one while making the Artificial Potatoes. They're dense, dry, and nicely rosewater-y, and that's about it. I understand why they were used more often as ingredient than eaten as a stand-alone treat. Recipe by Marissa Nicosia Recipe FROM: MMMMM