French Potato Pancakes Recipes

FRENCH POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Working quickly to avoid discoloration, cut onion and potatoes in large chunks and then shred them, either by hand or by using the grating blade of a food processor.
• One handful at a time and working over the sink, squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the potato and onion mixture and transfer to a medium bowl. Mix gently with your fingers. Pour the melted butter over the mixture, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and lightly work in with your fingers.
• Heat an 8-inch nonstick frying pan and pour in enough grapeseed oil to lightly coat the bottom. When oil is almost smoking, spoon half the potato mixture into the pan, spreading it over the bottom of the pan and patting it down gently with a spatula so it is about an inch thick. Use the spatula to push in stray pieces to make a clean edge.
• Fry for about 4 minutes on one side or until golden brown around the edges, then slide onto a plate. Invert the pan over the plate and flip, transferring pancake back into the pan on its other side. Cook for another 4 minutes or until crispy on the outside.
• Slide pancake onto a paper-towel-covered plate and blot with additional paper towels to absorb excess oil. Remove top paper towels and flip pancake onto a clean plate using the same method as above. Keep in a warm oven as you repeat the process with the remaining potato mixture.
• Season finished pancakes with more salt if desired. Using a sharp knife, cut like a pie into 6 pieces and serve each with a little apple compote and a dollop of crème fraîche.

PARMESAN POTATO PANCAKE

Steps:

• Warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch diameter) nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until tender and fragrant, about another 2 minutes. Season the onion mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl and set aside. Reserve the pan.
• Meanwhile, grate the potatoes in a food processor using the grating attachment blade. Use a kitchen towel to help squeeze out the water from the grated potatoes. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add the Parmesan and the basil. Stir to combine and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
• Warm the remaining olive oil over high heat in the same pan that was used to cook the onions. When the pan is hot, but not smoking add the potato mixture. Use a spatula to press the mixture down into the pan firmly and evenly. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the potato mixture until the bottom is golden brown and the pancake can move in the pan, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low if the pancake is browning too fast in places. Place a large plate on top of the pancake and flip the pancake out of the pan. Turn the heat on the pan back up to high. When the pan is hot slide the pancake back into the pan and cook until the bottom is golden and is cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes. Slide the pancake onto a serving platter, slice, and serve.

OLD-FASHIONED POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Grate potatoes on coarse side of hand grater. Squeeze out liquid with your hands.
• Grate onion and squeeze.
• Mix onion with potatoes, egg whites, flour and salt, and stir well to mix completely.
• Heat nonstick skillet, and spray a light film of oil on bottom. When pan is very hot, drop mixture by the heaping tablespoon onto hot surface, pat to spread out, and brown over medium heat; turn, and brown on second side. Repeat.

FRENCH TOAST PANCAKES

Steps:

• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.
• Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon together in a bowl; make a well in the center. Beat milk, egg, 2 tablespoons oil, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl; pour into the well in the flour mixture and stir until batter is smooth.
• Drop about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the griddle and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

POTATO PANCAKES (QUICK VERSION)

Steps:

• Place hash browns in a strainer and rinse with cold water until thawed. Drain thoroughly; transfer to a large bowl. Add onion, parsley, milk, eggs, flour and salt; mix well. In a skillet over medium heat, heat 1/4 inches of oil. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into hot oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
• Optional: Serve with sour cream or applesauce.
• Note: If using refrigerated hash browns, skip the first step.

GERMAN POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat together eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix in potatoes and onion.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In batches, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the potato mixture into the skillet. Press to flatten. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

FESTIVE FRENCH PANCAKES

Steps:

• In a blender, combine the milk, eggs, water and vanilla; cover and process until well blended. Combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture. Cover and process until smooth., Heat a lightly greased 8-in. nonstick skillet over medium heat; pour 2 tablespoons batter into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack., Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. If desired, spread preserves over crepes; roll up. Sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar if desired.

CLASSIC POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°F. Place 2 nonstick baking sheets in oven.
• Using box grater or food processor fitted with grating disc, coarsely grate onion and place in colander set in sink. Coarsely grate potatoes, add to colander, and set aside to drain.
• In large mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs, then whisk in flour.
• Press potatoes and onion to extract as much liquid as possible, then add to egg/flour mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using wooden spoon or hands, mix well, but do not overwork.
• In heavy-bottomed, 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter until hot but not smoking. Drop 4 scant 1/4-cup portions of potato mixture into pan and flatten with spatula to form four 3-inch pancakes.
• Fry until bottoms are golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes, then turn over and fry until golden-brown and crisp, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; season immediately with salt and pepper. Keep warm on baking sheets in oven while making remaining pancakes.
• Using paper towels, carefully wipe out pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter and fry 4 more pancakes. Repeat with remaining batter, wiping out pan and adding 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter before each batch.
• Serve pancakes hot with applesauce and/or sour cream.

PERFECT POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Peel and shred potatoes; place in a bowl of cold water. Line a colander with cheesecloth or paper towels. Drain potatoes into cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, flour, onion, salt and pepper., In an electric skillet, heat 1/4 in. oil over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into oil, about 3 in. apart. Press lightly to flatten. Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter. If desired, top with maple syrup or applesauce.

CRISPY POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and put in cold water. Using a mandoline, grater or food processor, coarsely grate the potato. Place in a fine-mesh sieve or strainer, and squeeze out all of the potato liquid over a bowl. After the starch has settled to the bottom of the bowl, carefully pour off the clear liquid, reserving the starch. Add the grated potato to the starch in the bowl, along with the reserved crumbled bacon, egg, salt and pepper.
• Heat a nonstick pan with a small amount of oil in the bottom of the pan.
• When the oil is hot, take about one-eighth of the potato mixture in the palm of your hand and, using the other hand, flatten and squeeze to remove any excess liquid.
• Place the potato mixture in the heated pan and cook, pressing down with a spatula to flatten, until crispy and golden, about 3 minutes on each side.
• Transfer to a paper-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining potato cakes.