Female mashed potato hard way (8)
I believe the answer is:
footpath
'way' is the definition.
(footpath is a kind of way)
'female mashed potato hard' is the wordplay.
'female' becomes 'f' (abbreviation).
'mashed' indicates an anagram.
'hard' becomes 'h'.
'potato' is an anagram of 'ootpat'.
'f'+'ootpat'+'h'='FOOTPATH'
(Other definitions for footpath that I've seen before include "pedestrian course" , "Step this way" , "Countryside route" , "Walker's track, pavement" , "It's at the side of the road for pedestrians" .)