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Delicious German Potato Pancakes – A Traditional Recipe Idea!

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Experience the delightful crunch and savory flavor of these traditional German potato pancakes. Perfectly golden brown on the outside and soft on the inside, they are sure to bring back fond memories of home-cooked meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium (550g / 1.2lb) potatoes
  • 1 small (90g) yellow onion
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) cooking oil (for frying)
  • 2–3 tablespoons chives (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Wash and peel the potatoes. This takes about 2 minutes. Make sure to clean the potatoes thoroughly to remove dirt.
  2. Grate the potatoes using a grater or food processor on the small side. This should take about 3 minutes. You should have a fine, even mixture.
  3. Place the grated potatoes in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much excess water as possible. This takes about 1-2 minutes. Draining is crucial for the crispiness of the pancakes.
  4. Keep the liquid that comes from the potatoes for later and let it sit for 5 minutes. The starch will settle at the bottom.
  5. Grate the onion on the large side of the grater. This also takes about 2 minutes. You should have a coarse onion mixture that provides more texture when frying.
  6. Squeeze the onion in the same kitchen towel to remove excess water. This should take 1 minute.
  7. Combine the potatoes and onions in a medium bowl. Add the flour, salt, white pepper, smoked paprika, and egg. Mix everything well to achieve an even batter. This takes about 2 minutes.
  8. Drain the liquid from the potatoes, but keep about 2 tablespoons of the settled starch. Add the starch to the batter and mix everything well. This should take 1 minute.
  9. Heat the oil in a pan over medium to high heat. This takes about 2 minutes until the oil is hot. You can test if the oil is hot by dropping a small teaspoon of batter in; if it sizzles immediately, it's ready.
  10. Form 1/4 cup of the batter and add it to the pan. Press it slightly flat. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan to keep the pancakes crispy. This takes about 1 minute per pancake.
  11. Fry the pancakes for 3-4 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Flip them and fry the other side for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
  12. Remove the pancakes to a cooling rack to drain excess oil. Sprinkle some sea salt on top immediately. This should take about 1 minute.
  13. Serve the potato pancakes hot with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with chives. Enjoy them right away while they are fresh and warm!

Nutrition

Keywords: Avoid soaking the potatoes in water for too long, as they will lose their starch. A quick draining is important. Use a good non-stick or cast-iron pan to prevent sticking and ensure even browning.

Find it online: https://cinnamonbelle.com/leckere-kartoffelpuffer-traditionelle-deutsche-rezeptidee/