Dear Reader: These are extraordinary times we’re living in, and while we’ve always got an eye toward health and wellness, sometimes self-care and wellness looks a little different. As our needs shift, self-care might look like an over-the-top carpet picnic in the living room, or sweet treats that aren’t normally a part of your diet. We believe that sometimes it’s OK to forego the status quo, and that’s why the Pandemic Pantry series includes some “yummy but maybe not for every day” recipes for you to try. Enjoy!

Few things are more universally loved than hash browns. What’s not to love? Hot, crispy, starchy deliciousness pairs well with just about anything you have going on already, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. You’ll be surprised at how much texture these hash browns have, given the amount of oil that is used. There are two options presented here; one where the potatoes are parboiled, and one where they are not. They’ll each produce a slightly different result, but you’ll have a hard time deciding which is better.

Ingredients

• 450 g / 1 lb medium-sized starchy potatoes (Russets are perfect), peeled
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 large shallot or ½ large onion, finely grated or chopped
• Black pepper to taste
• Oil or cooking spray

Instructions

1. If you want crispy hash browns with a softer interior, parboil potatoes for 5 minutes, drain and allow to cool completely. You can also simply use raw potatoes; they produce crispier hash browns with less softness inside. 
2. Grate raw or cooled parboiled potatoes coarsely in a food processor or using a manual grater.
3. Preheat the oven to 180° C / 355° F for raw potato hash browns and 200° C / 390° F for par-boiled potato ones. Have a non-stick baking sheet and a round cookie cutter or an egg ring (mine was 8 cm / 3″ diameter) ready.
4. Place your grated potatoes and the remaining ingredients in a bowl. If using raw potatoes, set the mixture aside for 10 minutes. If using parboiled potatoes, there is no need to wait.
5. Put the raw potato mixture in the middle of a clean muslin cloth or kitchen towel and squeeze all the excess moisture out into a bowl. 
6. Drain the water away, and you will be left with potato starch stuck to the bottom of the bowl. This is the stuff that makes for crispy hash browns so scoop it up and add it back to the mixture, breaking up the compacted potato ball after squeezing the liquid out.
7. Using a brush or an oil spray, spread a bit of oil underneath each hash brown, place your cookie cutter or egg ring on the oiled area. Loosely pile the mixture inside the cookie cutter (to just under 1 cm / 0.35 ” height), but DON’T COMPACT the mixture. Use a fork to ensure the mixture is spread evenly and it goes all the way to the edges – make sure the mixture is piled up loosely – this way it will cook all the way through. If you don’t have a cookie cutter or an egg ring, just use a spoon. Don’t flatten the mixture too much and clean up the edges up with a knife to avoid them getting burnt.
8. Bake the raw potato hash browns for 20 minutes and parboil ones for about 10. Carefully detach from the tray using a flat spatula. Brush the surface of the baking tray with oil again and flip each hash brown directly on the oiled patch. Bake for a further 15-20 minutes (raw potato) and 10-15 minutes (parboiled potato).
9. Serve immediately. Try them with vegan sour cream/creme fraiche or ketchup – whatever sounds delicious to you.