Kartoffelpuffer German Potato Pancakes Recipe | Foodal (2024)

FAQs

What is kartoffelpuffer made of? ›

Kartoffelpuffer are made from russet potatoes that are peeled and grated raw. The shredded potatoes are mixed with egg, finely grated onion, flour, and salt and pepper to taste and then fried to light golden brown. The end result is a crispy exterior and soft interior.

The potato pancake is much simpler, with nothing but raw grated potatoes, egg, and all-purpose flour. The latke, on the other hand, adds baking powder, matzo meal, and even a splash of milk, according to Cooktoria. Surprisingly, the potato pancake has a longer preparation time due to the simplicity of its batter.

If the potato pancakes are falling apart while you're shaping them before you start cooking, they are either either too wet or they need more flour to hold them together. You can also mix the flour a little more the mix to develop gluten and then let it rest before cooking.

Get That Moisture Out.

Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, wring out as much moisture as possible. If you don't drain the moisture, they won't crisp as easily and that may be why your potato pancakes are gummy.

My favorite potato pancakes are just grated russet potatoes, a little grated onion, salt and pepper to taste. You need to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the potatoes, either one handful at a time, or by wrapping the grated potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and wringing them dry.

Why Didn't My Dutch Baby Puff Up? Like popovers and Yorkshire pudding, the thing that gives Dutch babies their signature puff is steam. In order for that steam to work the pancake into its signature peaks and valleys, you need two things: enough air in a well-developed batter and a piping-hot pan and oven.

German pancakes and Dutch babies are essentially the same thing, but the dish is said to have originated in Germany, not the Netherlands. The term “Dutch baby” was coined by an American restaurateur whose use of “Dutch” was a corruption of the word “Deutsch” (“German” in German).

A Dutch baby pancake, sometimes called a German pancake, a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, Hooligan, or a Hootenanny, is a dish that is similar to a large Yorkshire pudding.

During the Jewish holiday, eating crispy, fried, slightly oniony potato pancakes represents perseverance, and a little bit of magic. But miraculously it lasted eight days. Centuries after the fact, Jews were told to celebrate by eating foods cooked in oil.

Why won t my potato pancakes stay together? ›

There's not enough starch binding the latkes. Luckily, the fix for both of these problems is the same: add some more starch — ideally in the form of matzo meal — which will soak up that extra moisture and bind the ingredients together more tightly. Flour works too, but it sticks together and makes for denser latkes.

After peeled or grated potatoes are exposed to air they will begin to turn gray or brown. This appearance can be off-putting, but the good news is that the quality of the potato isn't compromised. This is a harmless natural reaction and it is perfectly fine to cook and eat potatoes even if they have turned gray.

Refrigerate covered to avoid exposure to air. Sometimes I'll use a clean kitchen towel, moisten and cover the potato mixture directly. Don't cover with foil, it can also turn the potatoes dark or gray so use clear plastic wrap instead.

– Always serve latkes hot and fresh if possible.

When ready to reheat, place in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes (7 if using a convection oven) until heated through just prior to serving. A convection oven setting will produce a more crispy result.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food and safety basics states cooked food can be left at room temperature up to two hours. If the temperature outside (or inside your house) is 90°F or above, you should cut that time in half.

Of course we associate potato latkes with Hanukkah, but in reality latkes descends from Italian pancakes that were made with ricotta cheese. The first connection between Hanukkah and pancakes was made by a rabbi in Italy named Rabbi Kalonymus ben Kalonymus (c. 1286-1328).

As far as I can tell from the recipes I found online, my potato latkes are made exactly the same way as the kartoffelpuffer, with almost the same ingredients. Depending on the time of year, sometimes I will add fresh herbs, or matzoh meal instead of flour, but otherwise exactly the same.

Eastern Europe - Latkes is a Jewish dish and very similar to the German kartoffelpuffer. Unlike German potato pancakes that use finely shredded potatoes, latkes are made with thickly grated potatoes. It is a common treat on Hanukkah.