Potato croquette

Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Arrange the croquettes in a single layer on a preheated tray, brush or spray lightly with oil, and bake for about 20–25 minutes, turning once, until golden and piping hot inside.

Yes. Cook them in a single layer at 200°C for about 10–15 minutes, shaking or turning halfway through; cook from frozen for a few minutes longer, until crisp and hot all the way through.

Yes: lower them carefully into oil heated to 175°C and fry in small batches for about 4–5 minutes, until golden and piping hot in the centre. Don’t thaw them first, as the coating can soften and split.

Keep the oil at a steady 175°C and avoid crowding the pan, which makes the temperature drop. Make sure homemade croquettes are well chilled and the coating is sealed with no gaps before frying.

Their crisp coating and soft potato centre go well with roast meat, fish or a vegetarian main, alongside peas, green beans or salad. They are also a familiar accompaniment to dishes such as beef bourguignon.

Croquettes are shaped portions of mashed potato coated in breadcrumbs and usually fried or baked. Duchesse potatoes are piped mash enriched with egg yolk, then baked until the ridges turn golden; they have no breadcrumb crust.

Cool cooked croquettes promptly, refrigerate them in a covered container and eat within 2 days. Reheat in an oven or air fryer until piping hot throughout; the microwave warms them but leaves the coating soft.

You can freeze homemade croquettes before cooking: freeze them in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a sealed container. Cook from frozen in the oven or fryer, allowing extra time and checking that the centre is piping hot.