Most of us correlate pancakes with the early morning meal, and although pancakes are good with eggs and bacon, they are also good as a side to whatever you are making, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I hope you enjoy these recipes, but first a bit of history.
Potato pancakes are usually made with potatoes, flour, seasonings, and a binding agent. With different cultures, come many variations of what we know as potato pancakes. In North America, we often refer to them as potato flapjacks or potato pancakes. Some other names dependent upon the culture are Latke, (Jewish) gamja-jeon, (Korean), and tattie fish (UK).
Original Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 4 Large potatoes rinsed
- 1 medium peeled onion
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup Bisquick can also be made with gluten-free Bisquick
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp baking powder
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Grate the potatoes and place in a large bowl of cold water, let sit in the fridge for one to three hours. (This process helps to release the starch from the potatoes, but it’s okay to omit this step if you choose). Once the potatoes have finished soaking, place them on a clean tea towel or cheesecloth and wring out the excess moisture.
- Grate the onions and mix with the shredded potatoes. In a separate bowl, blend one cup of Bisquick, two teaspoons of salt,one-half teaspoon of pepper, and one teaspoon of baking powder.
- Mix the potato and onions with the dry ingredients. Add eggs one at a time and stir until well combined.
- Heat oil in a skillet and shape the potato mixture into patties. Fry each one until golden brown and let sit on a paper towel. Serve and enjoy.
Candied Bacon Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 3 cups Bisuick
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup crumbled bacon
- 2 cups cooked mashed sweet potato
Instructions
- In a bowl, blend three cups of Bisquick, two tea spoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of cinnamon, and one-half teaspoon of salt. In a separate bowl, mix two large eggs, two cups of milk, two table spoons of brown sugar, two tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, and two cups of cooked mashed sweet potato (you can also use canned pureed sweet potato).
- Stir the wet ingredients in with the dry and add two cups of crumbled bacon. Mix until well combined. (Add a little extra Bisquick if you find the mixture is not thick enough).
- Heat a greased skillet over medium heat. Place¼ cup of batter for each pancake into the pan and cook each side until golden brown. Serve with syrup and enjoy. (A few chopped walnuts on top make a delicious addition).
Rolled Potato Pancake
Ingredients
- 8 large potatoes russets are best
- ¾ cups heavy cream
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 cups Bisquick
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Boil gently for approximately 30 minutes or until tender.
- Press the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer, or use a masher. Place the riced/mashed potatoes in a large bowl.
- In a small pot place three-quarter cups of heavy cream, four tablespoons of unsalted butter, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, and two teaspoons of sugar. Heat until the butter melts. Add the liquid to the potatoes and gently mix. Place in refrigerator until cool.
- When the potato mixture has cooled, add two cups of Bisquick. Stir gently, being careful not to over mix. Put the dough aside to rest for approximately ten minutes.
- Roll the dough into small balls, and roll on a floured (Bisquick) piece of parchment paper (the parchment paper will ensure the pancakes peel off without sticking). Roll into a thin circle and add more Bisquick to the dough if needed.
- Peel the parchment paper off of the pancake, and transfer to a large nonstick skillet (un-greased). Cook until brown spots appear, flip and cook for approximately thirty seconds.Repeat with the remaining dough until all pancakes are cooked. Serve and enjoy. These freeze well, but I encourage the use of parchment paper placed between each one, to prevent them from sticking to one another.
My kids thought I was absolutely nuts when they walked into the kitchen and discovered that the potatoes I was grating were to be used in a pancake recipe, (long story short… they loved them!) not to mention, it wasn’t even breakfast time! My kids are always in the kitchen trying new recipes, and I look at them in much the same way, especially when they add ingredients you wouldn’t imagine pairing.
It’s nice to have options when thinking of what to prepare for a meal, especially when picky eaters are involved. Sweet potato is a favorite of mine, but my kids care little for them. They do, however, love them if they are in pancakes or muffins.
