Variants of cooking Belarusian potato pancakes

Potato pancakes are a popular dish in European cuisine. The recipe originates in Belarus, but its varieties can be found in any country where potatoes are eaten( from the European north to Latin America).Most often the dish is prepared by Ukrainians, Russians, Jews and Poles.

The name "pancakes" comes from the verb "to tear"( rub, grate), in Russia and Ukraine they are also called teruns or fighting girls. Cooking is very simple. The classic recipe for potato pancakes includes a minimum of ingredients:

• potatoes( main product);
• onion;
• salt;
• egg( for bonding);
• vegetable oil( for frying).

If desired, finely chopped dill and garlic can be added to the pancakes. Traditionally they are served to the table with sour cream, boiled pork lard or butter.

Draniki are prepared just before serving. They are literally shifted from the griddle to the plate. In the cooled form, the dish loses its taste.

Despite a very simple recipe, potato pancakes are not made by every hostess. It happens that instead of the fragrant, sun-colored, with a crispy crust, dishes on the table are oiled, little appetizing pancakes with a taste of raw potatoes. You just need to know a few secrets, proven for centuries, and then everything will turn out in the best possible way.

Classic recipe with step by step potato pancakes

Ingredients:

• potatoes - 3-5 pcs.;
• bulb onion - 1 pc.;
• chicken egg - 1 pc.;
• salt - ¼ tsp;
• ground black pepper - to your taste;
• vegetable oil - for frying.

Preparation:

1. Peel the potatoes and peel the onions and peel.
2. Rub the onion into a fine grater, do the same with the potatoes. Transfer to a bowl, mix and squeeze out excess liquid.
3. Add the egg, salt and pepper to the resulting mass to taste. Stir.
4. Pour vegetable oil into the pan so that its layer is approximately 3 mm. Heat oil to light white smoke. Using a tablespoon spread potato paste on the pan. Do not form draniki too thick or large diameter.
5. Cook on each side for 1.5-2 minutes. Potato mass, which remains in the bowl, constantly mix, so that the starch was evenly distributed, and not settled on the bottom. Due to this, pancakes will keep their shape well when frying and will not fall apart.
6. Immediately from the heat of the heat, serve them on the table with sour cream or a special sauce for pancakes - machanka.

For cooking pancakes, use a skillet with a thick bottom, preferably cast iron.

Cooking Tips:

1. It is very important to choose the right potato for pancakes. Suitable varieties with a high content of starch, it contributes to the appearance of viscosity, which does not allow the potatoes to crumble. Pancakes from such potatoes will keep their shape perfectly.
2. In order to make pancakes delicious, potato must be rubbed on the smallest grater( it is also called garlic garlic).
3. According to the classic recipe, potato pancakes are prepared without flour, it is its addition that makes the dish rubber. Chicken eggs and the starch contained in the potatoes, enough for the necessary viscosity.
4. Do not put peeled potatoes in water, because some of the starch will leave it, and it is necessary to maintain the shape of pancakes. Tubers need to be cleaned, rinsed in cool water and dried with a paper towel.
5. Onions will not allow shabby potatoes to darken. To do this, you need to rub the onions in the first place, and then add the grated potatoes to them and mix. This is especially true for starchy potato varieties, because in a purified form, it darkens very quickly.
6. Be sure to rub the onions onto the finest grater. Then its fibers will be destroyed, it will give juiciness to the finished dish, and the onion taste in pancakes will not be felt.
7. Potatoes require mobility and speed, products must be quickly grated, mixed and fried.
8. In order to form beautiful pancakes in the pan, the potato mass must be dense and viscous. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of excess fluid, that is, carefully drain the juice from shabby onions and potatoes.

For those who do not like onions at all, you can not add it to the pancakes. And so that the potatoes do not darken, the shabby mass is sprinkled with a few drops of squeezed lemon juice and the dishes are closed on top with cling film to reduce contact with air.

Pancake with minced meat.

Potato pancakes with minced meat are very tasty and satisfying. Prepare them as follows:

1. Potato mass, make the same as for the classic recipe. Place it in a strainer and allow to drain excess liquid thoroughly. To make the mass more dense, add potato starch( at the rate of 1 tsp. For 500 g of potatoes).
2. For minced meat, you can use pork, veal, chicken or turkey( combine several types of meat).Combine minced meat with chopped onion and a clove of garlic. From spices, add different ground peppers, dried oregano and basil.
3. Now form the meat pancakes. Spread a portion of the potato mass on the palm in a thin layer, spread thin ground beef on top and again the potato layer. Seal on all sides so that the stuffing does not look out of nowhere. Put the blanks on a paper towel.
4. When you have finished all the pancakes, transfer them to the pan with heated oil and fry for 4.5-5 minutes on each side under a closed lid.

Sauce for pancakes

Before you make potato pancakes, make them a very tasty sauce - a milk macanus. For this:

1. 100 g of dry low-fat cottage cheese( 4-5%) using a spoon, mash it through a sieve.
2. Mix with 400 ml of sour cream( 15% fat content).
3. Finely chop a small bunch of green onions, a few sprigs of dill and 1-2 cloves of garlic. Add to the curd mass, mix thoroughly until a homogeneous consistency.
4. To serve, transfer to a small bowl or saucepan.

As you can see, there are no particular difficulties in cooking potato pancakes. We hope that the recipe with photos, tips and secrets will be useful, and a tasty Belarusian dish will become a frequent guest on your table.

Video Recipe for Pancakes with Meat