THE ULTIMATE POTATO PANCAKE

Reprinted with permission from The New American Cooking by Joan Nathan, published by Alfred A. Knopf and available in bookstores. Winner of a James Beard Award and IACP award.

(Serves 4)

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Grate the potatoes by hand or in a food processor using the thinnest grating blade. Scoop up 1/4 of them at a time with your hands and squeeze out the excess liquid. Put the drained potatoes in a mixing bowl and add the eggs, chives, salt, and pepper, making sure that everything is very well blended. Heat about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 10-inch, non-stick saute pan over high heat. Place 1/4 of the potato mixture in the middle of the pan and, with a spatula and your hands, spread the pancake out as thinly as possible until it covers the surface of the pan. Be careful not to burn yourself. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the pancake until the bottom browns, about 5 minutes. Place a plate that is just slightly larger than the pan over the top. Flip the pan over so that the pancake drops onto the plate, then slide the pancake back into the pan. (The brown side is now facing up.) Cook for about 4 more minutes, until the underside is browned. Flip the pancake over and onto a plate. Keep warm in a low oven as you cook the others. Repeat these steps for the remaining pancakes, starting with 1 tablespoon of oil for each one. Serve plain or with apple sauce.

<< Back to all recipes