Cook potatoes until very soft in small amount of water.
Pour ½ cup milk and salt into the saucepan with the potatoes.
With a manual potato ricer, immediately mash the potatoes by hand.
Add additional milk if they seem too stiff.
Stop mashing at whichever stage you prefer—when the potatoes have been formed into noodle-like strands, or when they are as smooth as an electric mixer’s end result.
(The Amish, because they do not have electricity in their homes, always mash their potatoes by hand.
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Cover with brown butter.