My mother made hash browned potatoes by coarsely grating cooked potatoes and frying them in a cast iron skillet. They lose a lot of volume, so start out with lots.

Raw Fries aka Home Fries

Another favorite recipe we called 'raw fries' - start out with sliced raw potatoes and onions. Use bacon grease if you want, or oil in a heavy skillet. Slice 'em into it, not very thick, cover, and cook until tender, stirring gently every so often so as to not break up the slices. Salt and pepper to taste.



To make crispy hash browns, I was just reading a recipe that said to grate the raw potatoes, then squeeze the water out of them in a potato ricer, similar to what you would do with a garlic press, but don't let the potato go through the holes, just squeeze. If you don't have a ricer, get them as dry as you can with paper towels. Then fry in a couple of tablespoons of hot oil in a heavy skillet.



Here's a good-sounding recipe from the Food Mayhem website:

Home Fried Potatoes
~about 6 servings (side dish)

4 cups of peeled and cubed (3/4″) Idaho potatoes, (roughly 3 medium-to-large Idaho potatoes)
2 cups diced (1″) red and/or green bell peppers
1 1/2 cups chopped (3/4″) yellow onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil for 10 minutes, strain, then air dry for 10 minutes.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron pan, over medium-high heat. Stir in peppers and onions, season, and cook for 3 minutes, or until veggies are starting to soften.
3. Push peppers and onions to the side leaving a space in the middle of the pan. Add tomato paste and caramelize for about 30 seconds. Add cayenne and rosemary, stir until well combined.
4. Clear another space in the middle and add potatoes. Toss thoroughly, but avoid breaking potatoes too much. Cook 3 minutes.
5. Season to taste. You will likely have to add more salt as potatoes take a lot of salt. Keep warm in baking dish in oven at 350, uncovered, or serve immediately.