Potato nests

500g ‘smooth’ potato (Desiree, Melody and Orla are all good)

2 medium sized tomatoes

Freshly ground pepper

Colander, chopping board, potato peeler, large saucepan with a lid, vegetable knife, potato masher/ricer, teaspoon, disposable piping bag, non-stick baking tray, oven gloves, serving plate.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
2. It’s a good idea to wash the potatoes under cold running water to remove any dirt. Peel the washed potatoes with a potato peeler and place into a pan of cold water to stop them going brown.
3. Cut the potatoes into similar size pieces so they cook evenly and place back in the water, drain the cloudy water away and replace with fresh cold water.
4. Place the pan on the hob to boil. From boiling, allow fifteen minutes for these to cook. To test if they are cooked through, press a sharp knife into one of the bigger pieces and if it’s soft, it’s cooked. These can be drained in a colander and returned to the hob for thirty seconds to dry out.
5. Remove the pan from the hob and mash these thoroughly until all lumps have been removed, season to taste with ground pepper.
6. While these are cooling slightly, cut the tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds with a knife or if you prefer use a teaspoon, cut the tomato flesh into a small dice and set aside.
7. Make sure the potato has cooled enough for you to hold in your hand, half fill a disposable piping bag with the warm mash. Here’s where the fun starts! Pipe your potato nests onto a non-stick baking tray, they want to be about 8 cm in diameter and about 3 – 4 cm high (the size of a meringue nest)
8. Fill the middle with the diced tomato and bake in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until they start to go a lovely golden brown colour. These are now ready to enjoy on their own, as a light lunch, or as part of an evening meal.

• Serve with baked meat or fish and a variety of colourful steamed vegetables.

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