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1
Peel the potatoes, then boil them in deep, salted water.
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2
Trim and rinse the leeks, discarding the dark outer leaves, and slice them thinly.
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3
Melt the butter in a shallow pan and cook the leeks in it over low heat, stirring from time to time, until they are soft and melting; they should be ready in twenty minutes or so.
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4
If they color they will turn bitter, so cover them with a lid or a piece of wax paper.
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5
Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan, then switch off the heat.
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6
When the potatoes are tender, drain them, put them back on the heat for a minute, covered with a lid or a kitchen towel, to dry out, then mash them with a potato masher, pouring in the warm milk as you go.
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7
You are after a thick mash, not a sloppy one, so stop adding milk when the consistency is thick enough to make into patties.
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8
Stir in the leeks and season generously.
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9
When the mixture is cool enough to roll, shape it into rough patties.
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10
Dont be tempted to make them perfectly smooth; they will be all the more interesting if they are a little rough.
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11
Heat some oil in a shallow pan.
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12
When it is hot, slide in the patties, not too close together, and let them color lightly on both sides.
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13
They will cook quite quickly, about three or four minutes on each side.
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14
Lift the patties out with a spatula and drain briefly on paper towels.
