Old-Fashioned Potato Pancakes
- SERVES
- 8
- COOK TIME
- 20 Min
Our crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside Old-Fashioned Potato Pancakes pair perfectly with our fork-tender Crowd Pleasing Brisket. Enjoy them at Hanukkah or anytime you need a comforting company-fancy dinner.
What You'll Need
- 4 Idaho baking potatoes (about 1-1/2 pounds), peeled, shredded or grated
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
What to Do
-
Place potatoes and onion in a strainer and press down on them with the back of a large spoon to extract excess moisture. If they’re still watery, wrap them in a clean dish towel and squeeze to extract the remaining moisture.
-
Place in a large bowl and add egg; mix well. Gradually add flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, mixing well.
-
In a large skillet, heat oil, then drop 1/2 cup batter for each pancake onto the skillet, being careful not to crowd skillet. Fry pancakes 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden on both sides, turning halfway through cooking. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
Note
- If you prefer your potato pancakes really crispy, fry them until they’re flecked with brown.
- A great pairing for Hanukkah or other special dinners is our Crowd-Pleasing Brisket. It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
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markbradshaw60 961 9033
Sep 13, 2016
When you drain the potatoes, let the liquid settle for a few minutes, pour the water off the op and the milky substance below is pure potato starch. Stir that starch back into the potatoes then prepare per recipe. the added starch binds well and the enhances crisp on the surface takes on a wonderful nutty flavor! This works for latkes as well.
noah11 7976731
Sep 02, 2016
If one wanted to put these together and freeze them for later use, would they freeze okay? Thanks.
Test Kitchen Team
Sep 06, 2016
Hi there! If you'd like to make these ahead of time, you'll want to just par-fry them before letting them cool and sticking them in the freezer. (You don't want to fry them all the way.) When you're ready to serve them, let them thaw completely and either bake them the rest of the way or finish them off in the skillet. We recommend baking them, so you don't have to add additional grease. To bake them, we suggest placing them in a 375-degree oven for anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, or until golden.
yendis1939 3878397
Aug 14, 2016
I have been making Latkes for many years now. I use 5 pounds of potatoes, and one very large onion. I now run them through a grinder due to my age, but I do not drain them. The added moisture is the starch and adds to the flavor. I also use Matzo meal instead of flour, and for the 5 pounds of potatoes I use 4 eggs. If you grind the onion first, the potatoes do not brown so quickly when added to the onion. I use black pepper and a dash of garlic powder.
peggydrechsler 693 4348
Dec 07, 2015
This is the recipe I use every year. Its always the first dish on the table to be emptied.
rnhayes 7555999
Sep 01, 2013
Great Recipe!!!!! LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
schroe22 9495215
Aug 31, 2013
I have arthritis in my hands so I'm all for using the frozen shredded potatoes, but I think I would thaw them and press the water out as the recipe suggests.
sdgolden 3318181
Aug 31, 2013
This recipe is for potato cakes NOT potato pancakes. Potato pancakes are made with raw potatoes. Nice try passing these off for something that would be served in Kosher home. I will stick with my latkes.
cindywilsey 827766 5
Aug 27, 2016
This recipe is made with raw potato - no other form would require draning excess liquid. The recipe calls for baking potatoes - aka russets - not baked potatoes. You have made a reading comprehension error. No need to be so negative.
DTruckinMomma
Aug 31, 2013
You can buy frozen or fresh shredded potatoes and make this recipe just as quickly. Much easier and they are delicious!!
gannonbe 7316594
Aug 31, 2013
Yes, you are correct. I have tried the frozen shredded potatoes and they work great. Just let them thaw and then continue with the rest of the instructions. Although I never use baking powder.It really is not needed.
noah11 7976731
Aug 27, 2016
So when using frozen shredded potatoes, how much do you use for this recipe?
cindywilsey 827766 5
Aug 27, 2016
The recipe calls for about 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes to begin, so I'd use about 1 1/4 pounds frozen shredded potato allowing 1/4 pound wasteage for the not present potatoe skins.
dmolsen0305 958157 2
Aug 15, 2013
You really need fresh garlic for good flavor. Otherwise recipe is good.
s2vkrefski 8048359
Aug 14, 2013
I thought these are Potato pancakes that at sold at firemen picnics in the fall. I'm confused, what is the difference except that maybe using sour cream with them. Perhaps more onion.
Test Kitchen Team
Aug 14, 2013
I believe you are referring to bleenies. If so, they are very similar to potato pancakes. It sounds as when you make bleenies you grate the potatoes finer and add more onion. Traditionally potato pancakes are served with applesauce or sour cream. Thank you!
maggiemae415
Aug 14, 2013
These sound great. Another idea for potato pancakes. When you go out and order loaded baked potato and can't eat it all, bring what is left home. The next morning, scoop out potato from skins and mash, add an egg, a little milk and enough flour (or bisquick) to get the consistency of pancake batter. Spoon onto griddle and they will puff up. All the good stuff from the "loaded" is there and you haven't wasted anything. Delicious. One left-over potato is enough to make pancakes for 2 or 3 depending on appetite.
brownie09 4723783
Apr 08, 2013
My Grandma use to make these on a old wood cook stove that they use to use to heat the house as well. Loved her potato pancakes, we use to put either sugar or jam on top of them. They were the best. Going to give these a try. Been looking for a recipe for this.
mscarole
Feb 10, 2013
Glad to fin this recipe, I almost forgot how to make them. My late Grangmother cooked for Jewish people and she never put onion in it. She sprinkled them with reg. sugar. Sometime applesauce on the side. Yummy!!!!
catlady6866 288727 4
Sep 01, 2013
If your grandmother cooked for Jewish folks she must have made "Latke", and they are DEFINATELY made with onion! Maybe the people whom she cooked for didn't like onions, so she didn't include them for that reason. Anyways, I've never met a Jewish person who didn't like onions!
theresa4601
Feb 08, 2013
if using mashed potatoes, try adding drained flaked tuna, make patties, dip in egg then seasoned bread crumbs and fry in a little oil until golden brown...Mom's recipe and really good!
oliveoyle69 886510 8
Mar 11, 2013
When you're adding tuna or turkey it's called a hash cake. Mr Food has the recipe and I make them with the leftover turkey after the holidays.
oliveoyle69 886510 8
Mar 11, 2013
When you're adding tuna or turkey it's called a hash cake. Mr Food has the recipe and I make them with the leftover turkey after the holidays.
ellaruth
Apr 24, 2014
I always make mine with leftover mashed potatoes. Never thought of adding tuna or any meat. I had never heard of hash cakes. Sounds good, will have to try this. Thanks. : )
dollarhidedonna 32 354
Feb 08, 2013
thank very much for this recipe. I grew up on these, my mothers father was from Germany. It has been so long since I made them that I forgot exactly how they were made. I will be having them for breakfast tomorrow.
sammers
Feb 04, 2013
WEll, sports fqans, the mashed tater ones are to me an old southern favorite - not German. I still make therm occasionaly as well as the German ones from fresh potatoes.
Sissy Sue
Sep 15, 2012
I grew up eateing these & I am OLD, but always just used left - over mashed potatoes. Never thought of useing anything else. They turn out just fine. I always put a litttle flour on the outside to brown them.
Chef 1012652
Sep 15, 2012
Imikie, mix mashed pots. with chop onion, egg, a little parm.and enough flour to make them thick enough(not too thick) to drop from spoon. Fry in a sm. amount of oil& butter, when brown, flip over and brown other side. I have done this for years. Very good!
pspoulos 2396650
Sep 14, 2012
I love this; but have you tried mashed potato salad? just add chopped celery, onions eggs and olives if you like. Make dressing with mustard and mayonaise
samson43 5994182
Dec 07, 2011
I love potato pancakes and I found I have no problem of discoloration of potatoes. What I do is quite simple. After peeling my very first potato, I rinse it under cold water, place it in a stainless steel cooking pot with cold water and give one generous squirt of bottled lemon juice to this water and commence to peel the remaining potatoes adding them to the pot with the rest. I then use a food processor with the grater attachment. I also put my peeled whole onion in the lemon juice water as a preliminary to grating. NEVER have I had a discoloration problem. I hope this was helpful. Enjoy! Anita
imikie 7505557
Oct 06, 2011
I need a Mashed Potatoe pancake recipe.. My Mom used to make them..I have leftover mashed potatoes and i want to make them . Usually they don't turn out perfect, but I don't have the right ingredients. thanx for your help.
rodney47713 721518 2
Sep 30, 2011
I have been doing the cakes for years.But i use frozen hash brown potatos.I take out what i need and let them thaw some.Works beautiful.
kallyb 1918590
Apr 11, 2011
I've only tried making potato pancakes once before and they were BAD, I liked how this recipe sounded and decided to work with it, I used 2 eggs, green onions, and 1 whole teaspoon of seasoning salt, then fried them in butter. Mr.Food I am here to tell ya these were delicious, and will be a regular at my table,(they "sooo good") everyone loved'em. Also to the other commenters, I don't know if you did this or not, but when working with potatoes this way, don't forget to rinse them as soon as you grate them, to keep them from "occidizing!!!
jackie2830
Mar 30, 2011
These are OOH SO GOOD!!!! I had Yukons on hand and I used a food processor & pulsed them [no more grated fingers] and then mixed in the finely chopped onion and remaining ingredients. They were nice and crispy, delicious....we ate 6 & hubby took 2 to work for lunch. Great with applesauce & sour cream. Thanks Mr. Food!
zydragra1 2799201
Dec 06, 2010
THE BATTER OXIDASE, NEED TO WORK FAST WITH FRESH POTATOS OR ADD A TABLET OF VIT C....IT REALLY WORKS.
jjo
Dec 05, 2010
I just tried the potatoe pancakes. I cooked one mess and came back a bit later to the batter and it was totally black. What happened? jjo
johnhoulihan62 049 6550
Feb 08, 2013
i if you put ahalf a teaspoon of lemon juice it stops them from oxidizing. Also we grew up on ma,s potato pancakes she would pour the batter in a sheet cake tin and bake them in the oven she would make several of them this way one after the other and we would put butter on them after she cut them into quarters or six pieces.there was 5 of us and we were all big eaters.we all try to immitate mom,s recipe but it,s not the same [she alsoused bacon drippings back then [cholesterol city but we all seemed to have survived it.
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