Crispy Potato Pancakes
There are some dishes that resonate with such deep memories that they will be forever associated with someone or something. Oftentimes they will be simple dishes made by someone close to your heart. For me one of those dishes would be this potato pancakes recipe.
Potato Pancakes Recipe
Potato pancakes were of my favorite sides that Grandma occasionally served with her dinners. She’d have a small gathering of friends over and they’d all start with Scotch on the rocks, wine or other beverage of choice; some appetizers, maybe a crudites platter with a blue cheese dip and everyone would relax in the living room filling the air with beautiful conversations.
Memories of Grandma
Eventually the gathering would migrate to the dinner table were Grandma’s cooking would fill our tastes and bellies as much as the camaraderie would fill our hearts. The meals were nearly always an enticing mix of familiar and new culinary explorations for me. I was served octopus for the first time at Grandma’s table and as a kid discovered that cooked carrots can actually be quite tasty.
Grandma’s dinner table changed my mindset forever on how I approached food. Anything from the simple to the exotic can be enrapturing, depending on how it is done. Today, whenever I prepare some of those dishes that I was first introduced to by Grandma, all of those memories and emotions fill my soul.
Can there be any doubt that I love this potato pancakes recipe?
By themselves,without the recollection of dear memories, the potato pancakes are damn tasty. The crisp outside, with a soft savory center have a play in textures that potatoes are so incredibly adept at forming. The potato pancakes latkes are by themselves a nourishing comfort food, then add in a love for an inspiring force in my life and my love for thus dish becomes nearly reverence.
-Todd
Potato Pancake Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium Potatoes , peeled
- 1/2 large Sweet Onion , diced into 1/4" pieces
- 3 cloves Garlic , crushed or finely minced
- 1/3 cup Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
- fresh cracked Black Pepper , to taste
- 2 large Eggs , beaten
- 1/4 cup + Oil , preferably peanut oil, grape seed oil, or other high flash point oil
Instructions
- Line a bowl with several paper towels, then grate potatoes into bowl. Using more paper towels, squeeze out as much water from the potatoes as you can. After potatoes are as dry as you can get them, discard paper towels.
- Add the onion, garlic, flour, salt, pepper, and eggs then stir to combine.
- Heat a saute pan over medium to med.-high heat, add oil, then when oil is hot place large spoonfuls of potato mix into the pan. Flatten each pancake to approx. 1/2" thick. Cook to a golden brown on one side (approx. 2-3 min.) then brown the other side. Remove and pat dry with paper towels. May be kept warm covered in a 300° oven.
- As you cook each batch, stir the potato mix before spooning into pan and add more oil to pan if needed. Serve warm.Serve plain or dress up with some sour cream & chives, honey, a sprinkling of cheese, or whatever creative accompaniment you can think of.
Nutrition Information per Serving
>Here’s a traditional potato latkes recipe and check out our chai zucchini pancakes.
those look so yummy – I will have to try them. I have an old family recipe for German egg pancakes….I need to write it down.
My mom makes potato pancakes using leftover mashed potatoes. I’ll have to try it with the grated potatoes sometime!
Love the photos!
It’s almost unfair how good potato pancakes are, these look like they would exceed my expectations. I am new around here but have you ever made these with sweet potatoes? I really love your blog, I’ll be checking it out regularly.
Frenchi- sweet potatoes sound like a marvelous idea!
That photo is just perfect. I made potato fritters with a little grated apple a couple weeks ago, and it was a nice addition to the classic. http://ourchocolateshavings.blogspot.com/2009/10/apple-and-potato-fritters-with-yogurt.html
Thank you for sharing your recipe and your lovely memories of your Grandma 🙂 I’ve always wanted to make potato pancakes (latkes? roesti?) but I’m afraid I’ll never do them justice… So unlike me! These look beautiful and delicious.
The sentence “simple dishes made by someone close to your heart” broke mine into a million tiny pieces. What a heartfelt recipe and wonderful story. Thank you for sharing it.
xoxo
I love this post. There are so many wonderful reasons to love food beyond the taste. Having someone like your Grandmother is exactly what brings that incredible connection to cooking and eating. Thanks for reminding me of this fact through your heartfelt words. –Rachael
I’m with Rasa – simply gorgeous opening photo. And is that a miniature cast iron pot? Must have! Do tell where you acquired such an ADORABLE kitchen accessory.
Dawn- We got those and lots more different shapes at Ross discount stores!! You bet they were at Ross and for less than $6 for a set of four! But that was a long time ago. Ross can be a hit or miss, so you have to check back often and rummage through their inventory. Good luck!
Fantastic photograph!
Do I need to fry the onion first?
Only if you want to change the flavor the onions add to the pancakes. The onions get cooked when you do the pancakes, and sweet onions are pretty mellow anyway, but if you want to mellow them out even more, feel free to fry the onions up before adding to the mix.
Honey, or cheese? Oy vey…
Applesauce, dude!
(and yes, along with sour cream, that’s okay)
Ha ha ha! My potato pancakes lack any moral, spiritual, or cultural limitations so I can put whatever I want on them. :p
Applesauce sounds pretty tasty, though.
Gorgeous shot guys. The cover shot could easily be the cover of food magazines, seriously. I have many foods that remind me of my family–especially my late grandmother and parents. And sometimes, I couldn’t help as tears rolling down my cheeks as I eat the foods.
That’s how powerful food is, it represents the connection and the relationships that bind us all. Thank you for sharing your family story . xoxoxo.
What warm and wonderful memories! These sound like ideal comfort food and look delicious.
I love it when recipes are tied to memories. Potato pancakes remind me of grade two, when my friend’s grandmother brought the whole class latkes. I can still taste the potato goodness on my tongue! Might have to try your recipe to revive that memory =D.
Wow! Those potato pancakes look amazing! Latke love!
These look delicious. The only time I’ve had potato pancakes my friend made them from a box so I will have to make them from scratch. There is no way I am letting my view on potato pancakes be ruined because I’ve only had them from a box mix.