Crispy Potato Puffs

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Make the puff dough: Add the potatoes to a medium bowl, along with ¼ cup of canola oil and 1 tablespoon of salt. Coat the potatoes thoroughly, then wrap each potato in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, until fully cooked through and tender. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the toasted cumin seeds and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, slowly stream in the semolina, whisking constantly to prevent clumping. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until all the moisture has cooked out, about 4 minutes. Transfer the semolina mixture to a large bowl and let sit at room temperature until ready to use.
• When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and pass through a potato ricer into the bowl with the cooked semolina. Add the remaining tablespoon of salt and the black pepper and mix thoroughly to combine.
• Roll the dough into ½-inch balls.
• Add the remaining 3 cups of canola oil to a medium pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer. Heat over medium heat until the oil temperature reaches 350°F (180°C), then reduce the heat to low to maintain the temperature.
• Working in batches of about 8 at a time, fry the puffs in the hot oil for about 3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Use a spider to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain while you repeat with the remaining puffs, letting the oil temperature return to 350°F (180°C) between batches.
• Serve warm.
• Enjoy!