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