1. Parboil Potatoes: Cut potatoes into quarters and boil in a pot of water until slightly tender. Drain and let cool.
2. Grate Potatoes: Grate the cooled potatoes using the large holes of a box grater. Place grated potatoes in a bowl.
3. Combine Ingredients: Add flour, salt, pepper, and chopped onions to the grated potatoes. Mix gently. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Heat Oil: Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 355-360°F.
5. Shape Tater Tots: Use 1 ½ teaspoons of the potato mixture for each tater tot. Gently shape into the classic tater tot form.
6. Fry: Fry the tater tots in batches in the hot oil until golden brown.
7. Drain: Remove tater tots from the oil and drain on absorbent paper.

Air Fryer Instructions:

1. Chill Tater Tots: Ensure tater tots are chilled or frozen before air frying.
2. Preheat and Spray: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray the tater tots with olive oil.
3. Air Fry: Place tater tots in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t touch. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping halfway through.