Potato Pancakes Question

[David Cottrell]

Peace

My theory in that statement is simply what goes with MASHED potatoes. We're not talking latkes here...but mashed. Maybe it's just my tastebuds - but I stand by them and they say leave the applesauce off the mashed potato pancakes Sour cream, however, a different thing...

Peace my friend - somehow as a young child I acquired a taste for potatoes and applesauce in about any combination. Weird? I would top any potato with applesauce incuding potato pancakes.

 

[Callisto in NC]

Mama ~ that looks good. I wish mine looked like that last night. Hopefully they will tonight after I use the griddle instead of the pan. I remember trying to use the pan I used last night for regular pancakes once and it turned them just as black as the potato pancakes last night. I do believe the pan is the offender in this scenario.

Dave, I've had applesauce on potato pancakes before, just not these because of the cheddar. I could see it being done though. My mother did it on what she called Irish Potato Pancakes. I think she just wanted a fancy name for a basic potato pancake.

 

[GB]

Apples and cheddar go amazingly well together even though is sounds like a very odd combo. You should try at least one bite of your potato and cheddar cakes with just a little bit of applesauce, just to see what you think.

 

[Callisto in NC]

Apples and cheddar go amazingly well together even though is sounds like a very odd combo. You should try at least one bite of your potato and cheddar cakes with just a little bit of applesauce, just to see what you think.

Oh, I've tried it. The green onions put a damper on that combo. I've never been one that likes that apple pie and cheese thing, just personal tastes I guess.

 

[GB]

Fair enough

 

[Barbara L]

I've never tried potato pancakes, but they sound interesting. We have always made potato patties with our left-over mashed potatoes. Well, my mom did--I rarely have left-over mashed potatoes!

Barbara

 

[pacanis]

Oh, I've tried it. The green onions put a damper on that combo. I've never been one that likes that apple pie and cheese thing, just personal tastes I guess.

Me neither. That was my father's thing putting a slice of yellow American on his apple pie. It never got passed on to me or my sister.

 

[kitchenelf]

Dave - just for you applesauce goes into the throwdown!!!!

Callisto - I thought for a minute you meant griddle as in "it had ridges" - you mean a flat griddle and I now remember you mentioned nonstick.

Hey, it's 18 minutes after 5:00 here - are they done yet?????

 

[Callisto in NC]

Okay, I'm home and the griddle, electric with no edges, is heating. I'll report back soon. I have to go get chives and GatorAide for the track star (my daughter).

 

[VeraBlue]

This isn't actually a traditional potato pancake recipe. That requires grated raw potatoes and onion, the egg and a bit of flour and seasoning.

I've done what you are doing with left over mashed potatoes all the time. Seems a shame to waste perfectly good mashed potatoes, yes?

I work with them cold. Shape them into patties about 1/3 inch thick. Dredge them in flour, then egg and then more flour (season the flour with S&P). Then, pan fry them in butter/olive oil combo, about 2 minutes per side. The coating will help them retain their shape and not interfere with the flavour.

 

[VeraBlue]

Peace my friend - somehow as a young child I acquired a taste for potatoes and applesauce in about any combination. Weird? I would top any potato with applesauce incuding potato pancakes.

My son eschewed baby food....and almost every night he got a mashed potato with a side of applesauce for dinner. He cannot imagine mashed potatoes without the applesauce... Personally, neither can I.

 

[kitchenelf]

Okay, I'm home and the griddle, electric with no edges, is heating. I'll report back soon. I have to go get chives and GatorAide for the track star (my daughter).

 

[Callisto in NC]

So, the first pancake on the griddle was not altered from the night before. It was still runny but the crust was better on the griddle sprayed down with butter flavored Crisco. We added an addition of my special sour cream, chive and course ground pepper with a touch of horseradish. The sour cream added a spectacular taste to a pancake that didn't cook to desired appearance.

The second pancake illustrated the "size matters" adage. It was smaller, had an addition of some more flour, and allowed to cook without disruption for a longer period of time. While still runny, the taste and consistancy was improved.

We are currently waiting to cook pancake three while partaking in the DVR'd ep of Army Wives and our stomach to settle. The next cake will have more flour (it's a big bowl) and the temp of the griddle will be adjusted.

We have proven, the griddle is the key. The color has been wonderful, it's getting a consistant cook we are now looking for. We are hoping the addition of more flour to the really big vat of potatoes will aid in the cooking process.

So, did I sound like a judge on Throwdown??? So far so good, but I want more crisp, less runny.

 

[pacanis]

Pictures would be nice, too.

 

[kitchenelf]

It's sounding like you are "getting somewhere"!!! Can't wait for the final verdict!

 

[Callisto in NC]

Pictures would be nice, too.

Wouldn't they be? Unfortunately no batteries and no clue how to get pics out of my phone

It's sounding like you are "getting somewhere"!!! Can't wait for the final verdict!

The verdict is EXCELLENT. Patience is a virtue, that's for sure. I waited 5 minutes before even attempting to turn and that really helped. I also know that I over added to the original mashed potatoes. I now know what to do to do it 100% perfectly. These were great, but I can do better. Like the Bionic Woman, we can make them better, stronger, faster! It's all about the original mashed potatoes now.

thanks for all the encouragement. It's been fun to do this throw down.

 

[kitchenelf]

It's been fun to do this throw down.

It's like I said - if you do a throwdown against yourself you still win - well, but you lose most of the time ....maybe I need to rethink this

Excellent Callisto!!!! I do have some questions:

1. Did you cook your potatoes and mash or did you actually make mashed potatoes first? I'm not sure if you started fresh or not is why I'm asking.

2. Did you dust them on the outside with flour?

3. So...I take it you did add flour to the mashed potatoes - did you add more than you thought you'd have to and was the taste a surprise i.e., didn't taste floury?

Yes, this has been fun!

 

[pacanis]

Wouldn't they be? Unfortunately no batteries and no clue how to get pics out of my phone



The verdict is EXCELLENT. Patience is a virtue, that's for sure. I waited 5 minutes before even attempting to turn and that really helped. I also know that I over added to the original mashed potatoes. I now know what to do to do it 100% perfectly. These were great, but I can do better. Like the Bionic Woman, we can make them better, stronger, faster! It's all about the original mashed potatoes now.

thanks for all the encouragement. It's been fun to do this throw down.

First thing on order; Hold it upside down and shake it.


And I thought that was the six million dollar man.... must be a gender thing

Glad they turned out. I'd like to attempt these myself someday and I liked this thread a lot.

 

[gadzooks]

Now make some schnitzelen, pork or veal, to go with your potato pancakes and applesauce. I'll be over presently.

 

[Callisto in NC]

Now make some schnitzelen, pork or veal, to go with your potato pancakes and applesauce. I'll be over presently.

Not sure what a schnitzelen is but I don't eat pork or veal.

It's like I said - if you do a throwdown against yourself you still win - well, but you lose most of the time ....maybe I need to rethink this

Excellent Callisto!!!! I do have some questions:

1. Did you cook your potatoes and mash or did you actually make mashed potatoes first? I'm not sure if you started fresh or not is why I'm asking.

2. Did you dust them on the outside with flour?

3. So...I take it you did add flour to the mashed potatoes - did you add more than you thought you'd have to and was the taste a surprise i.e., didn't taste floury?

Yes, this has been fun!

1. Made mashed potatoes and ate them with gravy and then used the left overs for the recipe.

2. Sprinkling with flour wasn't possible. The batter was like a batter more than a "biscuit." It would have been like dusting a pancake with extra flour.

3. I did add flour to the mashed potatoes and I believe it helped this batch. Next time I'll make starchier potatoes, eliminating my usual sour cream and just using butter and milk, should make for stiffer potatoes.

The griddle definitely made the difference. I'm thinking of a couple other ideas to fix what I've got left. I'll report back tonight.