Apartment Finder: Potato Ricer

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Potato Ricer

A potato ricer is a kitchen implement used to process potatoes or other food by forcing it through a sheet of small holes, which are often not much wider than a grain of rice. In technical terms, it works by a process of food extrusion. Mashed potatoes is a food commonly made using this utensil, and it can be used to squeeze excess water from sliced or grated potatoes, improving the quality of potato chips or hash browns made from them.There are at least three kinds of potato ricers. The simplest variety is little more than a grid on a handle. Food is processed against a flat surface or inside a container. Slightly more elaborate models resemble a large garlic press. A rotary type, called a food mill, where the food is driven toward the grid by a large screw, is similar to a meat grinder but without the rotary blade.Potato ricers are used in the making of lefse (a popular Norwegian flatbread) and spätzle (German noodles), as well as for making homemade passatelli (a type of Italian pasta).