Placki Ziemniaczane (Polish Potato Pancakes)

About This Recipe

Placki Ziemniaczane is a real, traditional Polish dish, known as Polish Potato Pancakes. Crisp fried grated potato pancakes bound with egg and a touch of flour, served with sour cream or sugar.\n\nPlacki ziemniaczane became a staple of Polish home cooking after the potato became a dietary mainstay across Central Europe from the 18th century onward, remaining one of the country's most beloved comfort foods.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Polish home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgstarchy potatoes(peeled)
• 1yellow onion
• 2eggs
• 3 tbspall-purpose flour
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 tspblack pepper
• 4 tbspneutral oil(for frying)
• 150 mlsour cream(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Grate the potatoes and onion

   Grate the potatoes and onion together on a box grater or in a food processor.

2. 2

   Drain well

   Transfer to a clean towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

3. 3

   Make the batter

   Mix the drained potato-onion mixture with eggs, flour, salt and pepper until combined.

4. 4

   Heat the oil

   Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

5. 5

   Fry the pancakes

   Spoon the batter into the pan to form pancakes about 8 cm wide, flattening slightly, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp.

6. 6

   Drain and serve

   Drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot with sour cream.

Variations

• •

  A sweet version served with sugar and applesauce is common as a dessert or snack.

• •

  Add grated apple to the batter for a subtly sweet twist popular in some households.

• •

  A version stuffed with a savory meat filling (placki z mięsem) is a heartier main-dish variation.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions