A cross between latkes and twice baked potatoes. Is it an appetizer or a side dish? Heck, why not both?
This one took some trial and error. I wanted to make something easy--no peeling or shredding potatoes. The solution seemed obvious: frozen hash browns. The first time I made this I discovered there was so much moisture in the hashbrowns that they steamed in the oven rather than bake. The bottoms never did get brown and they didn't crisp up. I had to replace the potato's natural water content with something else (the water did make it easy to "mold" the hashbrowns into Tater Discs...I needed to find another binder.
I could have put the potatoes in a kitchen towel and squeezed out as much water as possible but all my kitchen towels were in the laundry hamper. A salad spinner worked just as well. Once the excess water was extracted the Bobkes crisped up nicely.
I used a package for frozen hashbrowns (thawed), one large egg, a couple of tablespoons of half and half, some bacon (cooked and crumbled) and some sour cream and cream cheese to top 'em off.
First I emptied the hashbrowns into a salad spinner and gave a good whirl for a full minute.
You can see how much water the salad spinner collected
place the now dry potatoes into a mixing bowl. Add the egg and Half & Half and stir to combine.
I used a 1/3 Cup measure cup to put equaly amounts of potato goop onto my silicone baking mat. Parchment paper or a non-stick pan would work just as well. Pat the mounds down until they are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick and pop 'em into a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes flip the Bobkes...
Sprinkle the chopped bacon onto each one...
then top with slices of cheddar cheese. Place them back in the oven for another 5-7 minutes.
mmm delicious melty goodness!
top the Bobkes with a dollop of sour cream or cream cheese, or if you're a godless savage, ketchup. Serve 'em while they're still hot.
