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1
Line a 9-inch square pan with plastic wrap, allowing a 6-inch overhang of wrap over two sides of the pan.
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2
Bring potatoes, 1 tablespoon salt and cold water to a boil in stockpot. Cook potatoes 30 to 35 minutes, until tender; drain.
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3
Coarsely mash half the potatoes in a bowl. Dice the other half and add to the mashed potatoes.
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4
Fold in cheese, chives, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. Spread potato mixture into pan; fold overhang of plastic wrap to cover top.
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5
Refrigerate 3 hours, until firm.
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6
Unmold chilled potatoes onto a cutting board; peel off plastic wrap. Spray a 2 1/2-inch oval or round cookie cutter with vegetable cooking spray. Cut out 8 ovals of potato mixture. Press scraps together to form a 3/4-inch thick disk; cut out 4 more ovals. Repeat, making a total of 16 cakes.
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7
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook one third of the potato cakes, 3 minutes per side, until deep golden. Repeat process 2 more times; cool. Transfer cakes to a jelly-roll pan. (Can be made ahead. Wrap jelly-roll pan and refrigerate up to 24 hours).
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8
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake potatoes (unwrapped if refrigerated overnight) 18 to 20 minutes, until heated through.
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9
NOTE: Prep time does not include chilling.