Potetboller

Potetboller are one of Norway’s great fried bar snacks, a crispy-on-the-outside, pillowy-on-the-inside potato ball stretched across Scandinavian tables alongside cold beer or aquavit. Minced anchovies do the savory heavy work the way they do in pissaladière, dissolving into the mash and leaving behind salty umami rather than obvious fishiness.

Mace is the secret. A lighter, more floral cousin of nutmeg, it gives potetboller a subtle warmth that readers of a hundred other potato croquette recipes will miss. Don’t swap it for nutmeg straight across, mace is brighter.

The mash has to be stiff enough to shape without cracking. Instant flakes with hot water produce exactly the right texture for this, which is why it is traditional here rather than a cooked potato mash.

Fry hot and fast. Oil at about 375°F (190°C) sets the breadcrumb shell before the inside gets greasy.

Chef Tips

• Oil-packed anchovy fillets mince easier and distribute more evenly than salt-packed ones.
• Chill the formed balls 15 minutes before breading, cold potato holds shape in hot oil.
• Fry in small batches of 4 to 5, overcrowding drops the oil temperature and yields soggy shells.
• Drain on a rack, not paper towels, so steam escapes and the bottoms stay crisp.

Variations

• Serve with a lingonberry jam or mustard dipping sauce for a classic Scandinavian pairing.
• Stir a spoonful of finely grated Gruyère into the mash for richer flavor.
• Swap anchovies for smoked salmon trimmings for a milder, smokier version.