Belfast Polish Potato Pancakes
Crispy golden potato pancakes made with local Northern Irish potatoes, fried until crisp and served with cool sour cream and scallions.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Equipment
- •box grater
- •large mixing bowl
- •clean tea towel
- •frying pan
- •slotted spatula
- •kitchen paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 42 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 7 g
- calories
- 340 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Peel the potatoes and the onion thoroughly.
- 2
Grate the potatoes and onion using the fine side of a box grater into a bowl.
- 3
Transfer the grated mixture into a clean tea towel and squeeze out the liquid over a bowl.
- 4
Let the liquid settle for two minutes, pour away the water, and keep the white starch at the bottom.
- 5
Place the squeezed potato mixture into a clean bowl.
- 6
Add the beaten egg, plain flour, grated garlic, salt, black pepper, and the reserved potato starch.
- 7
Stir the mixture briskly with a spoon until a smooth, thick batter forms.
- 8
Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- 9
Spoon two heaped tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan, flattening them slightly.
- 10
Fry for three to four minutes per side until deep golden and crisp around the edges.
- 11
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.
- 12
Serve hot topped with a spoonful of sour cream and sliced scallions.
Chef's tips
Grating on the fine star side of the box grater gives the authentic Polish pancake texture rather than coarse hash browns. Squeezing out moisture is crucial to achieve a crispy edge rather than a soggy centre. Reincorporating the settled potato starch ensures the pancakes hold together without needing excessive flour.
Ingredient substitutions
- plain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend
- sour cream (śmietana) → thick Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche
- vegetable oil → rapeseed oil or sunflower oil
Storage
Store leftover cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat in a hot, dry frying pan or in a 200°C oven for six minutes until crisp again.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Leaving too much moisture in the grated potato, which makes the pancakes greasy and soft.
- •Frying in oil that is not hot enough, causing pancakes to absorb excess oil.
- •Grating on the coarse cheese side, which yields hash browns rather than smooth Polish placki.
Serving suggestions
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