Potato Ghosts

These potato ghosts were the perfect side dish to the mummy meatloaf recipe I made for Halloween.  I skipped using the pastry bag to make the ghosts and just used my clean hands to form them.  It wasn't hard to do at all and I think it might have been less messy.  Just make sure that the potatoes have cooled a bit before you start, I burned my hands!

4 pounds large boiling potatoes (preferably white-fleshed)
3/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3 large egg yolks
Nigella seeds (sometimes mislabeled "black onion seeds") or black peppercorns

Equipment: a potato ricer or a food mill fitted with medium disk; a pastry bag with 3/4-inch plain tip

Peel and quarter potatoes, then cover with water in a 4-quart pot and season well with salt. Simmer, partially covered, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. 

While potatoes are simmering, heat butter and milk in a small saucepan until butter is melted. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. 

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. 

Drain potatoes and force through ricer into a large bowl (or mixer bowl if using stand mixer). Beat in milk mixture, yolks, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper with an electric mixer at low speed until combined.

Spread about one-third of potatoes in a buttered 1 1/2-quart shallow ovenproof dish. Transfer remaining potatoes to pastry bag. Pipe potatoes close together into 2 1/2- to 3-inch-high pointed mounds to form "'ghosts" and garnish each mound with 2 seeds or peppercorns for "eyes." 

Bake until tips of ghosts are golden and potatoes are firm, 20 to 25 minutes.