So, the other day, I got this real hankering for something straightforward, something that just hits the spot without any fuss. And what came to mind? Tacos de papas. Yep, good old potato tacos. It’s one of those things I whip up when I want comfort food that doesn’t require a culinary degree.
First things first, I went to the pantry and grabbed about four decent-sized potatoes. Nothing fancy, just your regular russets. Gave ’em a good scrub under the tap because, you know, dirt. Then I chopped them into big chunks – skins on, I don’t mind them, and they boil quicker this way, I think. Threw them into a pot, covered ’em with water, added a pinch of salt, and set that on the stove to boil. Had to wait until they were super tender, like, a fork goes in with zero effort.
While the potatoes were doing their thing, I rummaged around for the other bits. Corn tortillas, of course. Got my cheese grater out for some Monterey Jack – though cheddar works fine too, whatever you’ve got. I also decided I’d need some shredded lettuce and a bit of salsa for serving. Basic stuff.
Getting the Filling Ready
Once those potatoes were soft, I drained them real well. Dumped them into a big bowl. Then I just started mashing. I don’t go for perfectly smooth; a few lumps give it character, I say. Added a good knob of butter – makes everything better, right? Then a splash of milk to make it a bit creamy. Seasoning is key here. Salt, plenty of black pepper. Sometimes I throw in garlic powder or a bit of cumin, but this time I kept it simple. Stirred all that together until it was a nice, fluffy, seasoned mash.
Next up, the tortillas. I warmed them up a bit on a dry skillet, just a few seconds on each side. You want them pliable so they don’t crack when you fold ’em. Then I took a tortilla, spooned a good dollop of the potato mixture onto one half, spread it out a little, and folded the other half over. Didn’t overstuff them, learned that lesson the hard way – they just burst open in the pan.
Frying Time!
Alright, frying. I got my trusty skillet out again, poured in some vegetable oil – maybe about half an inch deep. Got that oil nice and hot. You can tell it’s ready when you drop a tiny piece of tortilla in and it sizzles right away. Carefully, I laid a few of those potato-filled tacos into the hot oil. Didn’t crowd the pan, just two or three at a time.
Let them fry for a few minutes on each side. I was aiming for that beautiful golden-brown color and a crispy shell. You gotta keep an eye on them; they can go from golden to burnt pretty quick. Used a spatula to flip them. Once they looked perfect, I fished them out and laid them on a plate lined with paper towels. You have to drain that excess oil, otherwise they’re just greasy.
Repeated that process until all my potato filling was used up. Made a pretty decent stack of tacos, I tell ya.
The Best Part: Eating Them
And then, the moment of truth. Topped them with a generous handful of shredded lettuce, a sprinkle of that Monterey Jack cheese, and a spoonful of my favorite store-bought salsa. Some folks like crema or sour cream, which is great too, but I was out.
Let me tell you, they were delicious. Crispy on the outside, soft and savory potato on the inside. So simple, but so satisfying. It’s not gourmet, it’s not fancy, but sometimes, that’s exactly what you need. A good, honest, homemade meal. Definitely making these again soon.
