Potato ricer

Kitchen tool used to process potatoes or other food

A potato ricer in use

A potato ricer (also called a ricer) is a kitchen implement used to process potatoes or other food by forcing it through a sheet of small holes, which are typically about the diameter of a grain of rice.[1] This form of food processing is called ricing.

## Description

[edit]

Collage showing a potato ricer from four angles

A common variety of potato ricer resembles a large garlic press. It has two long handles, one with a perforated basket at the end, the other with a flat surface that fits into the basket. The food is placed in the basket, then the flat surface is pushed down into the basket by pressing the handles together, forcing the food through the holes.[2]

Another form, sometimes called a rotary ricer, is cone-shaped with small perforations all around the cone. It comes with a wooden pestle that is used to push the food through the holes.[3]

A food mill can be used as a substitute for a ricer.[2]

## Uses

[edit]

This tool is commonly used to rice potatoes, a process that forces cooked potatoes through the ricer and turns the potatoes into fine, thin shreds. The resulting potatoes are lighter and fluffier. The process allows the full starch cells of high-starch potatoes to maintain their integrity and stay separate, giving the potatoes a fluffy, full texture. At this point, milk, butter, and other additives can easily be blended to maintain the starch structure, the result being consistent mashed potatoes. The process works since uniform texture is created due to the passing of potatoes through evenly sized holes, which ensures that the potatoes are smashed only once. With this method, the cell walls are much less likely to break open.[4][5]

Pressing cooked vegetables and fruits through the small holes produces a puree comparable to using a drum sieve. Many foods can now be pureed more easily in a food processor; however, a manual method such as ricing is best for potatoes, which are starchy and become glutinous (in the sense of being glue-like or sticky, and not in the sense of containing gluten) when over-processed.[6] Ricers are often used to puree food for babies.[7]

A ricer can be used to remove excess water from foods such as cooked greens that are to be added to quiche,[2] thawed frozen spinach, and sliced or grated potatoes to improve the quality of potato chips or hash browns made from them.[citation needed]

Ricers are also used to make Mont Blanc (a dessert of chestnut puree),[8] lefse (a Norwegian) flatbread, spätzle (German noodles), passatelli (a type of Italian pasta), and process ice cream when making the German dish spaghettieis.

Potters and ceramicists use ricers to extrude "hair" for sculptures of humans or animals such as sheep.[citation needed]

## See also

[edit]

* Food portal

* List of food preparation utensils
* Potato masher
* Food mill

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Grimes, William, ed. (2004). Eating Your Words. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 172. ISBN 0195174062.
2. ^ a b c Potato Ricer. CooksInfo.com. Published 02/18/2007. Updated 05/27/2009. Web. Retrieved 11/29/2012 from http://www.cooksinfo.com/potato-ricer
3. ^ Gerras, Charles, ed. (1989). Rodale's Basic Natural Foods Cookbook (1st Fireside ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 24\. ISBN 0671673386.
4. ^ Wolff, Eric (November 1993). "Mashed Potatoes". www.cs.cmu.edu.
5. ^ "Starches: Grains, Pasta, Potatoes and Bread-Based Dishes". www.cs.cmu.edu.
6. ^ Peterson, James (2003). Essentials of Cooking (1st pbk. ed.). New York: Artisan. pp. 94, 279. ISBN 1579652360.
7. ^ Sears, Robert W.; Marlow, Amy (2009). HappyBaby: the Organic Guide to Baby's First 24 Months (1st ed.). New York: Harper. p. 179. ISBN 9780061711367.
8. ^ Simmons, Marie (2008). Things Cooks Love: Implements, Ingredients, Recipes. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Pub. p. 133. ISBN 978-0740769764.

* v
* t
* e

Kitchen tools

* Kitchenware
* Cooking vessel
* Cookware and bakeware
* Cutlery
* Dishwashing
* Eating utensils
* Food preparation utensils
* Food storage container
* Tableware
* Teaware

* Apple corer (Apple cutter)
* Baster
* Beanpot
* Blowtorch
* Bottle opener
* Bowl
* Bread knife
* Browning tray
* Butter curler
* Cake and pie server
* Candy thermometer
* Can opener
* Cheese knife
* Cheese slicer
* Cheesecloth
* Chef's knife
* Cherry pitter
* Chinois
* Chopsticks
* Citrus reamer
* Clay pot
* Cleaver
* Colander
* Cookie cutter
* Cookie press
* Corkscrew
* Cutting board
* Edible tableware
* Egg piercer
* Egg separator
* Egg slicer
* Egg timer
* Fat separator
* Fillet knife
* Fish scaler
* Fish slice
* Flour sifter
* Food mill
* Funnel
* Garlic press
* Grapefruit knife
* Grater
* Honey dipper
* Honing steel
* Ladle
* Lame
* Lemon squeezer
* Lobster pick
* Mandoline
* Measuring cup
* Measuring spoon
* Meat grinder
* Meat tenderizer
* Meat thermometer
* Melon baller
* Mezzaluna
* Herb chopper
* Microplane
* Milk frother
* Milk watcher
* Mortar and pestle
* Nutcracker
* Nutmeg grater
* Oven glove
* Pastry bag
* Pastry blender
* Pastry brush
* Pastry wheel
* Peel
* Peeler
* Pepper mill
* Pie bird
* Pineapple cutter
* Pizza cutter
* Potato masher
* Potato ricer
* Potholder
* Poultry shears
* Roller docker
* Rolling pin
* Salt and pepper shakers
* Scissors
* Scoop
* Sieve
* Slotted spoon
* Spatula
* Spider
* Strawberry huller
* Tamis
* Tomato knife
* Tongs
* Trussing needle
* Twine
* Weighing scale
* Whisk
* Wooden spoon
* Scraper
* Dough
* Zester

* Categories
* Kitchenware
* Commons
* Kitchen utensils

Types of tools
Cleaning
Cutting and abrasive
Forestry
Garden
Hand
Kitchen
Machine and metalworking
Masonry
Measuring and alignment
Mining
Power
Textile
Woodworking

Potato ricer at Wikipedia's sister projects:

* Definitions from Wiktionary
* Media from Commons
* Recipes from Wikibooks

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template