Crispy Potato Pancakes

Golden, crispy potato pancakes with soft centres. These are a proper comfort-food dinner (or lunch) and a brilliant way to use up a bag of potatoes. The key is squeezing out as much moisture as you can, so they fry up crunchy and not oily.

Even better: potatoes, eggs, onions and your favourite toppings are all easy to grab from the shop - and you can serve them up with chilli oil, sauerkraut, or caramelised onions for a proper little feast.

Serves

2 - 4 portions (around 10 - 14 small pancakes)

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled & grated potatoes
• 1 cup grated onion
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Optional (only if needed): 1 - 2 tbsp plain flour or cornflour (helps bind if the mixture is wet)
• Oil, for frying

To serve

• Chilli oil
• Sauerkraut
• Caramelised onions

Method

1. Grate + squeeze: Grate the potatoes and onion. Tip into a clean tea towel (or cloth) and squeeze firmly over the sink until you’ve got rid of as much liquid as possible. Really go for it - this is what makes them crisp.
2. Mix: Tip the squeezed potato/onion into a bowl. Add the eggs, salt and black pepper. Mix well until everything is evenly combined.
3. Quick check (optional): If the mixture looks wet or puddly, squeeze it once more, or mix in 1 tbsp flour/cornflour (add up to 2 tbsp if needed) to help it bind.
4. Heat the pan: Heat a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and add enough oil to generously coat the base (you want a shallow layer, not a deep fry).
5. Fry: Spoon in heaped tablespoons of mixture and flatten slightly into pancakes. Fry for 3 - 4 minutes on the first side until deep golden, then flip and fry for 3 - 4 minutes on the other side. Adjust the heat as needed so they don’t burn before cooking through.
6. Drain: Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Keep warm while you cook the rest (see tips below).
7. Serve: Stack them up and top with chilli oil, sauerkraut, or caramelised onions (or all three).

Tips

• Crispier pancakes: Squeeze the potatoes/onion really well and fry in batches so they don’t steam.
• Smaller = easier: Smaller pancakes crisp better and are much easier to flip.
• Keep warm: Put cooked pancakes on a tray in a low oven (about 120°C) while you finish frying.
• Oil check: If the pan looks dry between batches, add a little more oil and let it heat up again before frying.

Shop the ingredients

All the ingredients for this recipe are available from The Pear. If you’re visiting in-store, just ask and we’ll point you to everything you need - plus great toppings like sauerkraut and chilli oil.