Pommes dauphine (potato mash and choux paste puffs, deep-fried)

Start the halved potatoes in cold water over high heat, add a pinch or two of rock salt, bring to a boil and boil until tender, about 20 minutes from the boil.

Test with a small knife: it should slide in without pressure. Do not overcook, to keep water out of the mash.

Drain and spread on a tray, then dry in a very low oven, about 50C / 120F, while the choux paste is made.

Put the water and butter in a pan over medium heat. As soon as it boils, turn the heat to low, add a little pinch of salt and the flour all at once.

Stir over very low heat to dry the paste without boiling off too much water, until it comes away from the sides and rolls into a ball, about 2 minutes; turn off the heat.

Transfer to a clean glass bowl. Beat one egg, pour it in and mix gently until the paste thickens again.

Add the next egg a half at a time, mixing between, and stop when the paste is firm but slightly runny; leave the rest of the egg out if it is not needed.

Pass the dried potatoes through a food mill into a mash; season with salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg.

Mix the mash and the choux paste together into one coherent paste.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or a deep pan to between 160 and 170C (about 320 to 325F), no hotter, so the choux cooks through and puffs before the outside burns.

Drop spoonfuls of the mix (two spoons, or a piping bag) into the oil, several at a time.

Fry up to six minutes, until well coloured and just starting to crack open; left longer they burst as the mash pushes out.

Serve with meat and gravy, or sprinkled with salt and pepper with mayonnaise.