German Kartoffelpuffer (Potato Pancakes) with Toasted Sesame

About This Recipe

Kartoffelpuffer are German potato pancakes, grated potato bound with egg and a little flour, fried until the edges turn deeply golden and lacy. They're sold at Christmas markets and street stalls across Germany, usually served with applesauce on one side of the plate and a savory dip or sour cream on the other, letting each eater choose their balance of sweet and savory. The key technique is squeezing out as much liquid from the grated potato as possible before mixing the batter; skip this step and the pancakes turn soggy instead of crisp. A light scattering of toasted sesame seeds on top just before frying adds a nutty crunch that isn't traditional but plays well against the potato's starchy simplicity, a small modern twist that's become popular at some market stalls. These are best eaten immediately, straight from the pan, while the edges are still audibly crackling.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 900 grusset potatoes(peeled)
• 1onion(grated)
• 2eggs
• 3 tbspall-purpose flour
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.25 tspgrated nutmeg
• 3 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• 0.5 cupvegetable oil(for frying)
• 1 cupapplesauce(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Grate the potatoes

   Grate potatoes and onion on the coarse side of a box grater into a clean kitchen towel. Wrap and squeeze firmly over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible.

2. 2

   Mix the batter

   Transfer squeezed potato and onion to a bowl. Add eggs, flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg, mixing until combined.

3. 3

   Heat the oil

   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 175C (350F).

4. 4

   Fry the pancakes

   Scoop about 1/3 cup of the mixture per pancake, flatten into the oil, and sprinkle a pinch of sesame seeds on top. Fry 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp.

5. 5

   Drain and serve

   Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with applesauce, while still hot and crisp.

Variations

• •

  Serve with sour cream and chives for a savory-only version.

• •

  Add grated apple to the batter for a sweeter, more traditional Christmas-market variation.

• •

  Skip the sesame for a classic, purely traditional version if you want the potato flavor unadorned.

Storage

Best eaten fresh and hot. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat in a dry skillet or 200C (400F) oven to re-crisp, never in a microwave, which turns them soft.

Frequently Asked Questions