Preheat oven to 150°C. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside to cool. Pat dry with paper towel and coarsely grate into a large bowl (I use my food processor for this).
Stir in onion (if using), egg, chives or parsley (if using) and season with salt and pepper. When combined, divide mixture into eight portions and shape into patties.
Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 2-3 hash browns to the pan and cook without turning for about 6 minutes or until golden and crispy on the bottom.
Use a spatula to carefully turn the hash browns and cook until golden brown and crispy. Transfer cooked hash browns to a baking tray and keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest.
