Stuffed Potato Cakes

Ingredients:

– **For the potato dough:**
– 4 large potatoes, peeled and boiled
– 1 egg
– 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
– Salt and pepper to taste

– **For the filling:**
– 1 cup ground meat (beef, chicken, or turkey)
– 1 small onion, finely chopped
– 1 clove garlic, minced
– 1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional)
– Salt and pepper to taste
– 1 tbsp oil for frying

– **For frying:**
– Vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. **Prepare the potato dough:**
– Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and mash them until smooth.
– Add the egg, flour, salt, and pepper to the mashed potatoes. Mix until a soft dough forms. Set aside.

2. **Prepare the filling:**
– In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and cook until translucent.
– Add the ground meat, salt, and pepper. Cook until the meat is fully cooked. If using, add the shredded cheese and mix until melted and combined. Set aside to cool.

3. **Assemble the potato cakes:**
– Divide the potato dough into equal portions and flatten each portion into a small disc.
– Place a spoonful of the filling in the center of each disc. Fold the edges over the filling and seal to form a patty. Flatten slightly to form a cake.
– Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

4. **Fry the potato cakes:**
– Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
– Fry the potato cakes in batches until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
– Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

5. **Serve:**
– Serve the stuffed potato cakes warm, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.

Enjoy your homemade stuffed potato cakes!