Polish Potato Pancakes - authentic traditional recipe - A Gouda Life (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Polish potato pancakes and latkes? ›

The potato pancake is much simpler, with nothing but raw grated potatoes, egg, and all-purpose flour. The latke, on the other hand, adds baking powder, matzo meal, and even a splash of milk, according to Cooktoria. Surprisingly, the potato pancake has a longer preparation time due to the simplicity of its batter.

These potato pancakes (called latkes) are meant to symbolize the miracle of Hanukkah, when the oil of the menorah in the ransacked Second Temple of Jerusalem was able to stay aflame for eight days even though there was only enough oil for one day. The symbolism comes in the form of the oil in which latkes are fried.

Although many Americans associate potato pancakes with Hanukkah, they have more broad origins. They originated in the eastern European countries of Germany Austria, Russia and Poland as a peasant food. Potatoes were cheap, plentiful and easy to store, making them a staple and necessitating inventive potato recipes.

If you don't drain the moisture, they won't crisp as easily and that may be why your potato pancakes are gummy. Feel the Heat. Sufficiently heating oil in the pan prior to placing the patty in the pan is the key to a properly crispy pancake.

Latkes are consumed by Ashkenazi Jews (those from eastern Europe) to celebrate Hanukah.

Historically, Jews in Central and Southern Europe cooked kaese (cheese) latkes, and Jews in Eastern Europe made latkes from buckwheat or rye flour.

Eat – latkes, of course! Crispy, fried, slightly oniony potato pancakes with decadent (that's a euphemism for fattening) toppings. Why latkes? The simple answer is that they're meant to remind Jews of the miracle of the oil associated with Hanukkah.

In Germany, potato pancakes are eaten either salty (as a side dish) or sweet with apple sauce, or blueberries, sugar and cinnamon; they are a very common menu item during outdoor markets and festivals in colder seasons. In Swiss cuisine, rösti is a variation that never contains egg or flour.

A: I am guessing the onions accelerated the potatoes turning black or the potatoes were not fully cooked in the middle (make the same thickness and not mounded up in the middle next time to try this out). I used to run into this when different people made pizza, especially with fresh sausage.

Potato pancakes are associated with almost every European cuisine and are referred to as a variety of names including latkes (Jewish culture), kartoffelpuffer (Germany), bramborak (Slovakia and Czech Republic), draniki (Austria), tattifish (England) and rosti (Switzerland) (“Potato Pancake Background”, n.d).

How to keep potato pancakes from turning brown? ›

– After shredding your potatoes, immerse them in cold water to keep them from discoloring. If you're using a hand grater, you can shred them directly into the bowl of water. Soaking the shreds helps to keep them from turning brown; it also has the added benefit of making crispier latkes.

Fry the latkes no more than an hour or two ahead of serving. You can warm them by placing the latkes in a single layer on a sheet pan in a very low (200 F) oven. If they stay there too long, they will no longer be as crisp, but they will still be very appealing.

Potato pancakes have a creamy, almost mashed-potato-like center, with a thin, golden, crisp exterior. Latkes, on the other hand, should have a deeply browned crust, with wispy, lacy edges. Latkes also aren't hash browns.

Serving them with applesauce and sour cream is the most classic choice, but Grandma Blanche served them with cottage cheese, and so we always include it in our potato pancake garnish spread, too. If you're in a potato mood, but want something more dinner-time friendly, try our Pierogi!

Russet potatoes work best in this recipe because they have a high starch content, which helps to bind the pancakes together. I do not recommend substituting with red or yellow potatoes.

They both use potatoes and eggs as the main ingredients. Latkes also include baking powder, matzo meal and sometimes milk. Potato pancakes do not include these items. Potato pancakes can be made from raw or cooked mashed potatoes.

Boxty is different from other potato pancakes or latkes, and you'll see that once you bite into one and notice the crispy hash brown-like outside and soft, dough-like inside.

Naleśniki (already plural) are Polish-style thin pancakes, often filled with sweet or savoury fillings. They can be rolled up or folded. The batter for Naleśniki is made of wheat flour, eggs, a pinch of salt and milk and/or water (often carbonated). Its texture is thinner than most pancake batters, so don't be alarmed.

No, hash browns and latkes are not the same thing. Although they contain similar ingredients like shredded potatoes and they are cooked in a frying pan, they are not the same. Hash browns are shredded potatoes and onions that are scattered in a pan and pan fried.