Potato pancakes can be made with grated or mashed potatoes and are known by different names in various cuisines. They can be thick or thin and are often made with added ingredients such as onion and garlic. Mashed potato pancakes are dense and thick, while chopped potato pancakes are light and thin.
A potato pancake is a dish prepared using potato and is cooked either from a shallow pan or in a very small amount of butter or oil in a skillet. In general, there are two basic ways to make potato pancakes: with grated or mashed potatoes. Recipes using the latter type of potato are usually intended as a way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. A potato pancake can be made from various ingredients and there are many names for this dish in different languages.
People of Jewish descent often call potato pancakes latkes or latkes. As a Korean dish, they are called gamjajeon, in Russian cuisine they are called draniki, and the German variants of this dish are called kartoffelpuffer and reibekuchen. A potato pancake is usually made using chopped or mashed potatoes, and while the end product is somewhat similar, there are notable differences in the approaches. These potato pancakes can also be made quite thick and dense or light and very thin.
When mashed potatoes are used to make a potato pancake, they are typically mixed with an egg to increase the binding capacity. Other ingredients may also be added, such as shallots, garlic and grated onion to add more flavor and texture. These can then be lightly cooked in a little butter or fried in oil, although butter is more common to add flavor without overcooking the already cooked mashed potatoes. The resulting potato pancake is often quite dense and thick, with a crispy exterior and light, fluffy interior.
A potato pancake made with chopped potatoes, however, can have a slightly different texture, especially when made lean. After the potatoes have been shredded, traditionally with a manual shredder although a food processor can be used, they are squeezed and drained of any liquid. The liquid is often collected in a bowl and the starch that comes out of the potatoes is separated from the other liquids and then added back to the chopped potato. You can add an egg, some shallots or chopped onion and pepper. A very light and thin potato pancake can then be made, by pressing a small amount of the flat, cooked mixture into a hot skillet that has been lightly brushed with oil.
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