How Leftover Mashed Potatoes Were Turned Into A Crispy Bakery Treat During The Great Depression

Potatoes are a dietary staple across tons of cultures for a reason — they're inexpensive, they're versatile, and they're a great canvas for tons of different flavors. During the Great Depression, potatoes became a culinary mainstay for many. Potato scones — a dish that likely originated in Scotland — became a simple breakfast dish that offered sustenance and flavor similar to that of a twice-baked potato you might enjoy at dinner today. 

Like many recipes that home chefs tend to throw together when times get tough, there are no hard-and-fast rules that you'll need to follow when creating potato scones. Most recipes consist of leftover mashed potatoes, fat (shortening is the traditional choice, but butter or oil would work too), flour, baking powder, and seasonings. You'll likely find that the consistency of your end result will vary based on what you have on hand. For a puffier, more bread-like scone, you'll want to load up on flour (and add a little extra baking powder). For a more toasted-mashed-potato-type scone, go heavy on the seasonings and not so heavy on the other dry ingredients. These scones are savory, not sweet, and are perfect alongside eggs or even a simple cup of coffee. Simply mash the ingredients together and fry them up to perfection on a hot pan or griddle. You can also try cooking them on your waffle iron to give your leftover mashed potatoes a seriously crispy makeover.

Since there's no one-and-done recipe for potato scones, you've got plenty of options when it comes to customizing them to suit your taste buds. You can go with a classic mix of salt, pepper, and chives to give a slightly oniony flavor to each patty. If you're starting with cheesy mashed potatoes, you can add a bit of extra cheese to the mix to ramp up the flavor. If you're in the mood to add some protein, you could also add bacon, ham, or sausage to your potato scone mix.

To add even more protein to your potato scones, you could also crack an egg directly into your mixture — just be sure that you thoroughly fry each scone so that the egg cooks thoroughly. Potato scones are also a great addition to a breakfast sandwich — melt a bit of cheese on top (pick a super-melty one like mozzarella or Asiago for a nice complement to the crispy-yet-creamy fried potato patty), add a fried egg, and finish it off with a bagel or English muffin for a super filling breakfast on the go. If you'd like to crisp up your potato scones before you enjoy them with your breakfast, dredge them in a bit of egg and breadcrumbs before frying them in a pan to crunchy perfection (you can also make a few loaded mashed potato balls while you're at it).