Quito to Smyrna Potato Cakes

Use leftover mashed potatoes, they should be slightly stiff. Cut cream cheese into 1 X 1 X ¼ inch squares. Flatten one pile of potatoes in your hand and place 1 square of cream cheese in the middle. Then work potatoes around cheese as you make potatoes into flattened balls. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

When ready to cook. Take out a large skillet. The flatter the bottom, the better. Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Heat the oil to sizzle. Gently place the potato cakes into the pan with the hot oil. Put the lid on, turn heat down to medium. Cook about five minutes. Then gently slip a thin metal slapper turner under the first cake that you put in the pan. Lift it gentle to see if it is brown. If so, turn it over. If not wait and try again. Turn heat to high again. Turn all the cakes over. Be gentle (Joanna especially) they fall apart easily. Try to turn them only once. Put the lid back on and after about 2 minutes turn heat down to medium again. Cook about 5 more minutes until properly golden brown and crispy.



These are delicious.

***** Notes:
 
In 1967 Gloria Coba arrived in Smyrna as a 17 year old high school senior. Mrs. Williams the English teacher challenged us to find Ecuadorian dishes, cook them at home, and bring them to class. I found the recipe for “potato cakes with cheese in the middle”. The recipe said soft white cheese. Of course, I used Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Our family thought they were delicious; we have cooked them many times with leftover mashed potatoes.


In 1995, I cooked them for David and told him the story. I learned that they were not at all like his mother’s LLapingachos, but he liked them anyway. Over the years, my version has evolved into a family favorite.