Easy Ham, Cheese and Mashed Potatoes Rolls Recipe

Indulge yourself with these savory, hearty, scrumptious rolls filled with ham, mashed potatoes and mozzarella cheese

Here is a little something I made for dinner the other night. The kids really looooooved these and devoured them in no time. And what's not to love about a crispy-on-the-outside slice of ham, filled with soft and cheesy mashed potatoes, rolled in batter and fried to perfection?!? This dish is so scrumptious and comforting that is perfect for every occasion

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These rolls are simply exquisite! Great for a light family dinner served with a big green salad on the side. Or cut in slices, and they are a perfect pick-up food for your next party.

I first ate these a long time ago at my in-laws' house. That's where I first learned how to prepare this dish. But I never wrote down the recipe, made it many many times, and probably changed the recipe along the way. So this might not be how my mother-in-law makes it anymore, but today, and all for you, I finally measured and wrote down all the ingredients.

VIDEO RECIPE: Ham, Cheese and Mashed Potatoes Rolls 

 

As you will see, this recipe is quite simple and quick. And it's a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes!

If you don't have any leftovers, cook and mash the potatoes, add the cheese, roll in ham, dip in batter and fry. I know ... I said  FRY. I, too, always try to avoid giving fried food to my family, but unfortunately, it's the best way to get the crispy golden crust and there is no way around this recipe. Believe me. I tried! I did try to bake these rolls and failed miserably. The problem is the batter. Unless it's cooked right away, it will droop down and off the rolls and right onto your baking sheet. And honestly, the batter is really meant to be fried. That's when its flavor comes alive and brings the aroma of all the ingredients together. 

You can make the frying a little "healthier" though, by using fresh olive oil, and just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Always make sure to remove as much oil as you can from the rolls with a paper towel at the end.

Not so bad... actually, as I said already, simply exquisite! Enjoy!

You might also like:

Aranicini Rice Balls with Ham and Mozzarella

Here some of my favorite recipes - Italian Recipes you might like:

Creamy Risotto with Asparagus

Pasta with Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Sauce

Italian Bruschetta with Burrata Cheese

Spaghetti all'Amatriciana

Traditional Risotto with Calamari (Squid) 

Spaghetti all Puttanesca

Step-by-step Authentic Seafood Risotto

Authentic Italian Pasta with Calamari (Squid) Sauce

Risotto with Shrimp and Asparagus 

Traditional Frittata di Spaghetti

Easy-to-make Seafood Paella

Risotto with Smoked Salmon and Zucchini

Pollo alla Pizzaiola

Ingredients: to make 8 rolls                                 

• 2 medium (around 14 oz, 450 gr) potatoes (I used russet) 
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 4 oz (100 gr)shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 slices (8 oz, 225 gr) deli ham
• oil to fry (I used olive oil)
• salt

for the batter:

• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup (100 gr)  all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 fl oz (120 ml) milk

Preparation time: about 50 minutes

Directions:
1. Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them in half and place them in a large pot covered with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes until fully cooked. Test with a fork for readiness.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the batter: in a bowl add the egg, flour, salt, olive oil, and half of the milk. Whisk well together so that there are no lumps. Add the rest of the milk a little bit at a time, until smooth.

3. Press the potatoes through a ricer (or potato masher)when still hot into a large bowl. Add the cheese and the parsley. Mix quickly with a spoon just to combine the ingredients. Make sure to keep the mashed potatoes soft.

4. On each slice of ham, place about 2 tablespoons of the cheese and potato mixture. Roll the ham as shown in my picture.

5. Heat the frying oil in a large skillet over medium-high flame. I used just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Carefully not to lose the filling, dip each roll in the batter, and place it right away in the hot oil in the pan. Fry all the rolls, turning them on each side until golden brown. Lower the flame to medium heat if needed. Remove most of the oil by placing the rolls on a plate lined with paper towel.

Serve hot! If you prepare the rolls ahead of time, warm them up in the oven until hot! Enjoy.

PRINTABLE RECIPE Easy Ham, Cheese and Mashed Potatoes Rolls Recipe  

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