This, to me, is the perfect potato pancake, with just the right amount of heat and sweetness to enhance an already popular dish.
Potato pancakes, or latkes, are one of those rare dishes that were part of both my childhood (in Russia, we call them драники [draniki]) and my husband’s (since he has some Ukrainian ancestry). Traditionally, they’re made with just potatoes, onions, eggs, and flour, but I’ve never really liked the traditional recipe so I’ve always tinkered with it. Of all the varieties I’ve tried or created, this one is my favorite. And as an added bonus, the aroma that fills your kitchen while they cook is amazing.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs yellow or yukon gold potatoes
- 1 medium onion
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup shredded sweet cheddar (I use Irish Skellig)
- 1/8-1/4 cup pickled jalapeño peppers, chopped (the amount depends on your taste and heat tolerance; I use 1/4 cup)
- Salt & pepper to taste (keep in mind that the jalapeños and cheddar are both salty)
- Olive oil for frying
- Sour cream to serve with
Method
Wash and pat dry potatoes. Cut off any imperfections. Peel the onion. Put a cheesecloth over a medium-sized bowl and grate the potatoes and onion with a box grater. You can also just use a food processor to shred the potatoes and onion, but make sure you still use the cheesecloth to drain the excess liquid (see below).
Squeeze out as much liquid as you can, return potatoes and onion to the bowl, and discard the liquid and cheesecloth. Using the box grater, shred the cheese into the bowl. Add jalapeños, eggs, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
(Traditionally, you would use flour as a binding agent, but I’ve always thought that the flour robs some of the flavor, and I’ve found that potatoes are starchy enough that all you need are a couple of eggs. As an added bonus, leaving out the flour makes these gluten-free. Furthermore, instead of shallow-frying them, I just use a little olive oil in a non-stick pan, which also makes these a little healthier than they would be otherwise.)
Use 2 spoons to add mixture to skillet and form pancakes (shape them gently without pushing too hard or you’ll make them stick). Fry for about 5-7 minutes per side, covering with a lid for about 2 of those minutes to ensure they cook through (there are few things worse than biting into a crunchy potato pancake only to find it under-cooked inside). Drain on a paper towel.
Serve with sour cream.
Приятного аппетита! (Priyatnova appetita! Russian for ‘Bon Appetit!’)
(P.S. — One of my favorite things to do with leftovers is to use it as a hash brown with an over-easy egg for breakfast the next morning. Yum!)
I am a follower of Christ, wife of a pastor, mother of a strong-willed little boy, and native of Russia. In addition to cooking and baking, I enjoy drinking coffee and relaxing on the beach.