To make their hash browns so satisfyingly ultra-crisp, most restaurants resort to deep-frying. But you can pull it off at home with far less mess and fat. This version uses a panini press to produce easy, fast and incredibly crispy has browns.

To make the recipe even easier, substitute frozen shredded potatoes. To do this, arrange 1/2 cup mounds of frozen shredded potatoes on the press, then close the cover and cook until lightly browned. Open the press and add another 1/2 cup of frozen shredded potatoes to each, then repeat cooking until very crisp. This two-step method is important, as frozen shredded potatoes compress more than fresh during cooking.

Pressed hash browns

Start to finish: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Start with a cold panini press or countertop grill.

Using a box grater, grate the potatoes directly onto the grill in 4 piles. Gently shape the mounds into flattish rounds. Drizzle each mound with a bit of the butter, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Close the panini press or grill and turn on. Cook until crispy and browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 171 calories; 27 calories from fat (16 percent of total calories); 3 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 8 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 70 mg sodium.