Potato Pancakes No Matter How You Slice Them, Spuds Make the Meal
Consider the potato and its incredible versatility. Potatoes can be prepared in myriad ways: scalloped, mashed, puréed, grated, grilled, as soup, roasted, baked, twice-baked, boiled, sautéed, fried—the options are seemingly endless.
Nearly every culture has a version of the potato pancake, from British tattie fish, to Korean gamja-jeon, to Iranian kuku sib zamini, and why not? Mixing grated or mashed potato with aromatics and herbs and then frying them is comfort food in any language.
After testing various recipes for latkes, sweet potato latkes, mashed potato pancakes and a pan-fried hash, the sweet potato pancakes in this season’s column emerged the autumn-flavor winners. But don’t let that stop you from exploring the versatility of the potato in all its forms.
Other potato pancake variations to try:
• Peel and coarsely grate 4 large Russet potatoes and 1 medium Vidalia onion on a box grater. Place in a fine-mesh colander and press with a spoon (alternatively, wrap in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze) to remove excess liquid. Add 2 large whisked eggs and 2 tablespoons matzo meal, plus salt and pepper. Form into patties and fry in vegetable oil until they are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
• Make extra mashed potatoes, enough for 2 extra cups. Add 2 large whisked eggs, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup grated sharp cheese (Atwell’s Gold is perfect) and some chopped chives. Form into patties and fry in vegetable oil until they’re golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Serve with sautéed greens and fried eggs for brunch, or with grilled steak and roasted tomatoes for dinner.
