Loaded Baked Potato Tots (copycat)
Ingredients
Potato Mixture
2 cups mashed potatoes lumpy, cold
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup bacon cooked & chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bunch green onions thinly sliced
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Breading
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon of cold water
4 cups panko breadcrumbs
Cooking and Serving
canola oil for frying
coarse salt to taste
1/2 cup sour cream to serve
1/2 cup sriracha mayo to serve
Directions
Potato Mixture
Place the potatoes, cheeses, bacon, green onion, and egg into a large bowl and mix together with a rubber spatula.
Sprinkle the cornstarch, flour, salt, and pepper over the mixture, and gently fold to combine.
Line a baking sheet (that will fit in your freezer) with foil and sprinkle lightly with flour.
Scoop walnut-sized spoonfuls of the potato mixture onto the prepared baking sheet spaced evenly apart.
Place into the freezer for approximately 30 minutes to allow them to harden but not freeze completely.
Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and gently roll the potato mixture into “tot shape.”
Place the baking sheet back into freezer to freeze completely.
Breading
To bread the tots, place the flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs into three separate containers.
Remove the tots from the freezer and, working in batches, dredge them in the flour, shaking off any excess.
Then dip them into the egg, draining off any excess. Dredge them in the breadcrumbs, coating completely.
Repeat until all tots are breaded.
Cooking and Serving
Heat the oil to 350°F.
Working in batches, fry the tots for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until hot throughout.
Remove the tots from the oil and drain over paper towels.
Season with salt while still hot.
Serve with sour cream and sriracha mayo, and enjoy!
https://freerecipenetwork.com/loaded-baked-potato-tots-copycat/