Potato Pancakes

It has been awhile since I last shared a recipe. The last recipe was this delicious meal from a few weeks ago. Lately, Z. and I have been busy cooking new dishes and perfecting some of our favorites. Z. made an absolutely amazing chana masala last weekend, one of our new standby dishes that Z. has been playing around with the flavors. All of his versions of chana masala have been delicious but this has been my favorite. I think if I keep bugging him he'll share the secrets of his spice blend with me. Z. and I also made our first basmathi pulao. We have also been busy canning! So far, we have pickled two types of garlic, one batch is seasoned with herbs and cayenne, while the other is a plain pickled garlic. We pickled a few jars of Serrano chili peppers as well. I can't wait to try all of them.If you are curious about what we are cooking between posts, check out the Cheap not Frugal Eats page on Facebook.

In the midst of canning and cooking chana masala, I made potato pancakes one evening for dinner. Both Z. and I loved the crispiness of the outside. Exactly what we were going for! I purposefully made the potato pancakes very thin. To measure the potato mixture, I used a measuring spoon I have that holds two tablespoons. I tried three tablespoons but found that I could get a much thinner pancake with two tablespoons. After I spooned the mixture into the pan, I flattened it out slightly with the spatula or my fingers. I made another change to suit our tastes. Traditionally, onion is grated into the potato mixture. I knew we wanted the potatoes crispy, so I left the onion out and incorporated it in another way. We sauteed onions and green bell peppers in olive oil on the side and topped our pancakes with the vegetables and a little cheese. The potato pancakes are crispiest right after you make them but the leftovers still made a very yummy lunch for me the next day. Enjoy!

  

Potato Pancakes Cheap not Frugal Eats-Style

3 large potatoes (a starchy variety, such as Russet)

2 tablespoons flour

1 egg. lightly beaten

salt and pepper, taste

Canola oil, for frying

1. Peel potatoes. Place peeled potatoes in a bowl of water to prevent browning. Grate using either a box-grater or a food processor. If grating by hand, place shredded potato in a bowl of water to prevent browning. When all potatoes are grated, drain water, and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Follow this step even if using a food processor to grate the potatoes. Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl.
2. Add flour, beaten egg, and pepper. Mix until combined. I prefer to add the salt after the potatoes have cooked.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon or so of canola oil. When hot, for each pancake place 2-3 tablespoons of the potato mixture in the pan, not crowding the pan. Flatten with a spatula and let cook until underside is golden, about 3-4 minutes, flip and cook until golden. Remove from pan and season with salt. Continue process with the rest of the potato mixture. If not serving right away, place on a warm plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Serve with sour cream or topped with sauteed onions and peppers.