In the spring, every year I find myself wanting to make a lot of potatoes, but not just any kind of potatoes. I want something that feels not-too-heavy, but still warm and comforting, slightly crunchy in spots but still soft, and generally just… a delight. And for me, that’s almost always hash browns.

And not just any hash browns. While I love the big skillet kind, what I’ve been craving and making for weeks now are the loose, individual patties. This is probably because I grew up eating the frozen kind (shhh), and I still love their uniform craggly edges. But homemade hash brown patties are 1000 times better, easier than you think, and require very little by way of ingredients — just potatoes, oil, salt, and pepper.

The only trick is to get the potatoes dry enough. I once grated potatoes and didn’t dry them enough and they stewed instead of fried. Since then, I’ve tried many methods: twisting them in a cheesecloth, pressing them between layers of paper towels, doing one of those, and then also doing a brief turn in a salad spinner. These all work, but my favorite method, both easiest and most effective, is to squeeze them by hand. Grate them, gather them into a clean kitchen towel, then twist and squeeze with all your might. It’s a good workout, and ensures the crispiest, best-fried potatoes.

Because they’re a weeknight side dish for us, I make them in a cast iron skillet that’s just big enough for two or three patties at once; it’s perfect to keep the stove running while we get other things ready. The second trick is to avoid overcrowding the pan or moving them around while they’re cooking. Patience, my friends. They’ll crisp and turn golden brown, and you’ll know exactly when to flip them. And then you’ll have a golden, crunchy, steamy potato disc that’s far better than the frozen kind, but just as nostalgic and satisfying.

What would you serve them with? For us, eggs, green salad, and maybe salsa. What else? Do tell!