Step 1

Peel and dice the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Place the diced potatoes in a colander and rinse well with cool water to remove the excess starch.

Step 2

Place the rinsed potatoes in a pot and add fresh water until the potatoes are covered by one inch. Add ½ tsp salt to the water in the pot.

Step 3

Place a lid on the pot and bring the water up to a boil. Boil the potatoes for 6-7 minutes, or until they are very tender (a fork can pierce the potato effortlessly).

Step 4

Drain the potatoes in a colander and rinse again briefly with warm water.

Step 5

While the potatoes are draining, add the butter and milk to the pot used to boil the potatoes. Heat them over medium until the butter has melted.

Step 6

Add the drained potatoes back to the pot and mash with a potato masher.

Step 7

Season the potatoes with salt and pepper (I used ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper, but if you use unsalted butter you'll probably want more salt).

Step 8

For extra smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes, use a hand mixer to whip the potatoes until there are no lumps and they are light and cloud-like. Serve and enjoy!