When you hear hash browns, what comes to mind?  Shredded potatoes in a freezer pack, Greek diner greasy potatoes mixed with bits of green pepper and onion, half-cooked sliced potatoes in an oil slick or do you think of crisp, golden brown cubes with a bit of char around the edges, just a hint of onion, and a good dose of salt and pepper.  It’s the latter that makes the cut in our house.  Although I occasionally make them for dinner, they most frequently are on the breakfast table alongside eggs over easy and crisp bacon.  I make them exactly the way my mom made them, always with raw potatoes although if you have leftover boiled potatoes please do use them; just cut down on the cooking time.  It might seem as though the recipe calls for too many potatoes to feed 6, but I can guarantee that you could fry double the amount and you still won’t have any left in the pan.

You can also add ¼ to ½ cup diced onion and/or diced green or red bell pepper or

2 tablespoons diced jarred pimentos.  If you want to give the potatoes a contemporary taste, season with pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika) instead of the chili powder.

Hash Browns for Six

2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

or ¼ cup bacon fat (my preference when the fat patrol isn’t looking)

2 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

½ teaspoon chili powder, optional

Heat the oil and butter or bacon fat in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper, stirring to blend well.  Cover and cook for about 15 minutes.

Uncover and, using a wooden spatula, toss and turn to break up the potatoes.  Add the chili powder and continue to fry, occasionally tossing and turning, for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are cooked, crisp, and golden brown with some charring around the edges.

Serve hot.