You're welcome. The potato pancakes can be "fried" in oil if you don't have duck fat (the duck fat really makes the difference, IMO. The crispiness on the outside, with the inside being soft...). When I lived in Germany, we often used goose fat. The fennel is a recent addition, but I've also made them with grated apple. Sometimes I roast the caraway first and then grind it. But, you can put the whole seeds in--in my house, people don't like the whole seeds, hence, the reason I grind them. You can use any kind of cheese for the "potato pie" or leave the cheese out. I like to use smoked gouda when I can find it. You can also add smoked fish to it if you like. You can also cook that mixture like potato pancakes.thanks a lot, CWS4322. That was exactly what I was looking for.