This recipe is super simple but when executed just right it will result in some seriously delicious potato pancakes. Keep your heat even and your pancakes will cook thru perfectly. Too high and they will burn before cooking thru, too low and they will absorb too much oil before actually cooking. Biggest tip: have patience when waiting for them to brown evenly. You want them to be pretty golden brown, don't be afraid of a little color on them! They taste best when super crispy. No one likes a soggy potato pancake.
Potato Pancakes
Makes: About 16-18, depending on size of pancakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 medium yellow onion, grated
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
Flaky sea salt for finishing
Applesauce and/or sour cream for serving
1. In a large non-stick or stainless steel skillet, pre-heat about 2/3 cup vegetable oil over low heat.
2. Meanwhile, peel the russet potatoes and peel outer layer off the onion. Trim the stem end off onion. Keeping the root end attahched will help to keep the onion together while grating. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate peeled potatoes and onion. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Remove excess water from potatoes and onions by using a clean dish towel or piece of cheesecloth. Add half of the potato/onion mixture to the cloth and squeeze out excess liquid. Transfer potato mixture to clean, dry bowl. Repeat with remaining potato/onion mixture.
4. Add flour, beaten eggs, salt and pepper to the bowl containing the grated potatoes and onions. Mix to combine.
5. Turn skillet containing pre-heated oil to medium heat. Using a 1/4 cup measure or cookie scoop drop mounds of potato mixture into pre-heated oil in batches, being sure not to have more than 3 per skillet at a time. Gently press on the tops of the potato mixture slightly to flatten them out in skillet. You want the pancakes to be the same thickness so they cook thru evenly. Too thick in the center will mean they are soggy and undercooked. The pancakes should be about 1/4 thick after pressing down on them. Over-crowding the skillet with pancakes will prevent browning on the edges and result in soggy/mushy potato pancakes, which is why cooking these in batches is so important.
6. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, till deep golden brown. Flip and cook remaining side till golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. You may need to add extra oil to the skillet, about 1/4 at a time, between batches. Remove pancakes from the skillet and transfer to a wire rack set atop a sheet tray to allow excess oil to drain off so the potato pancakes remain crispy. Finish frying remaining batches of potato pancakes.
7. While pancakes are still warm, sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve. Serve with applesauce and/or sour cream.