How To Make Potato Pancakes
Potato pancakes are not an exact science—this is grandma food at its finest, so some of the technique is really about feel and preference. As you make these over the years—and if you make them once, you’ll make them again and again because they’re just that good—you’ll find what feels right to you. You’ll see in the recipe that we tell you to add a little flour if the potato pancake mixture seems a little looser than it should be and how to test the oil to see if it’s ready to fry the pancakes. All of this “by feel” stuff has a bit of a learning curve, but it is also fundamentally very simple. Here’s a quick step-by-step breakdown of how to make our potato pancake recipe:
- Grate the potato and onion. The grating attachment of your food processor will make short work of this. You can grate the onion and potato together—supposedly the onion will help to keep the potato from browning quite so quickly.
- Wring out the grated onions and potatoes. Get as much liquid out as you can! You can use a kitchen towel for this in a pinch, but a jelly bag, cheesecloth or a nut bag is best.
- Put the onions and potatoes in a bowl with eggs, flour, salt and pepper and stir it all together to make a potato pancake batter of sorts.
- Fry the potato pancakes! Youll use a small spoonful of the batter to test the oil to see if its ready. Carefully drop the batter into the oil when you think it might be hot enough—-if it immediately sizzles, the oil is ready. If the oil starts to smoke, or the pancakes are burning, turn the heat down slightly and wait a few minutes, then test it again. Fry them for about 3 minutes per side, but watch for crispness and color (you want them to be beautifully golden brown).
- Serve!
A Classic Potato Pancake Recipe
We’re excited to share yet another lovely recipe from Natalie’s family today—her grandmas potato latkes recipe! She was Polish, and called them simply potato pancakes or sometimes “poletskis”. We call them delicious! Pan-fried to a perfect golden-brown, with just the right hit of onion, they’re a simple treat to make again and again. Serving them with applesauce and sour cream is the most classic choice, but Grandma Blanche served them with cottage cheese, and so we always include it in our potato pancake garnish spread, too. If you’re in a potato mood, but want something more dinner-time friendly, try our Pierogi!
How To Make Potato Latkes – Family Favorite Breakfast
What is a potato pancake?
The pancake consists of flour, eggs, shredded potatoes and onions. Some people add tomato or cheese to the mix. The British also brought potato pancakes to former colonies such as Zimbabwe, where they are an affordable dish still eaten today.
Are fried potato pancakes healthy?
Pancakes with potato dough are an easy recipe, but should be consumed in moderation, as they are rich in carbohydrates. One tip is to replace regular potatoes with sweet potatoes in the standard recipe.
What is a Czech potato pancake called?
The dish bears a variety of names: A Czech potato pancake is called bramborák (from brambor, potato) and it is made of grated potatoes with egg, breadcrumbs or flour and seasoning (salt, pepper, most importantly garlic and marjoram; sometimes ground, cracked or whole caraway seeds) and is served as it is ( see recipe ).
What kind of potatoes make a good pancake?
Potatoes: You can “pancake” any potato, but the starch content of Russet and Idaho potatoes make them among the best for crispy results. The high amount of starch yields a better texture. Those starches break down and get darker when cooked, so the fresher the potato, the better. Onion: This offers a bit more flavor and moisture.