Peel the sweet potatoes and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Coarse shreds, not fine ones.

Drop the shreds into boiling salted water for exactly 4 minutes, until bendy but not falling apart. Drain well and spread on a tray to cool for 5 minutes.

Wrap the cooled shreds in a clean kitchen towel a couple of handfuls at a time and twist hard. You should get ⅓ to ½ cup of liquid out of the full batch. Fluff the dry shreds apart in a large bowl.

Add the beaten egg, cornstarch, panko, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix by hand until a squeezed handful holds its shape without cracking, adding another tablespoon of cornstarch if needed.

Press the mix into a parchment-lined 8 inch square pan in an even slab about ¾ inch thick, flattening the top. Chill 20 minutes in the fridge or 10 minutes in the freezer.

Lift out the chilled slab by the parchment and cut it into ¾ inch strips, then across into 1 inch pieces, about 32 tots. Round the corners with your fingers if you like.

Put the olive oil on a sheet pan and preheat it in a 425F oven for 5 minutes. Set the tots on the hot oiled pan with at least half an inch between them and bake 20 minutes.

Flip each tot and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the corners are deep and the sides feel firm. Finish with flaky sea salt straight out of the oven.