Potato pancakes are what I make when there is seemingly nothing in the house to eat. OK, that’s not exactly correct. There must be potatoes and onions, and eggs and oil, perhaps a tad bit of flour, salt and pepper. Staples at my house. They make a great and filling breakfast, a side dish. or even a base for amazing appetizers. Made in a smaller size, they can be topped with almost anything: cheese, smoked salmon, roasted vegetables or even salsa and sour cream. Did potato pancakes originate in Germany? Probably not. There is a version of potato pancakes all over the world. Often associated with Eastern Europe and the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, they can be found in Poland, Switzerland, France, England, Korea and Australia. An inventive cook’s use of leftovers have become one of my favorite ways to enjoy potatoes. There’s never any leftover potato pancakes, for sure.
German Potato Pancakes
Serves 6 4-inch pancakes
1 large egg
1/4 cup minced onion
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons canola oil
2-3 tablespoons sour cream
A sprinkling of Hungarian paprika
In a medium bowl beat one egg. Add 1/4 cup minced onion. On the large holes of a box grater, grate 2 medium potatoes directly into the egg mixture. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt on top and mix in thoroughly. Heat 2-3 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium high heat and drop portions of the potato mixture into the hot oil, spreading it out to form pancakes. Fry until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and brown the other side. Drain on paper towels and serve with a dollop of sour cream sprinkled with paprika.
Serves 6
