Gluten & Dairy Free Ultra Crisp Potato Pancakes!
For years I have been working to perfect a THIN, ultra crispy potato pancake!! They are my mother in laws FAVORITE thing of all time.
Every time she came to Cleveland to visit us we would order them from every local european or jewish restaurant to try to find some for her that she loved- and none really seemed to quite meet her expectations! She is quite particular in how she enjoys them. All the ones that we found at restaurants seemed to be thicker and much less crispy.
So finally I decided it was time I figure out the recipe! She made them with me once to show me how she does it- and then I spent a few years to figure out how to best duplicate them gluten free. THEN I took them up a notch by adding in potato flour to make them EXTRA crispy while also tender on the inside!!
To achieve perfectly crispy potato pancakes, here are some key tips:
Use Starchy Potatoes: Russet potatoes are ideal because they have a high starch content, which helps the pancakes become crispy. Avoid waxy potatoes, as they can be too moist and less likely to crisp up.
Remove Excess Moisture: After grating the potatoes, place them in a clean cloth or paper towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Excess moisture can make the pancakes soggy.
Preheat the Pan: Make sure your skillet or frying pan is hot before adding the pancakes. A preheated pan helps achieve a crispier texture.
Use Enough Oil: Don’t skimp on the oil. Use enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and help the pancakes fry evenly. You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, or another neutral oil with a high smoke point.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Cook the pancakes in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding. Too many pancakes at once can lower the oil temperature and result in less crispy pancakes.
Press Down Lightly: After placing the pancake batter in the pan, gently press it down with a spatula to help it spread out evenly and ensure a crispier surface.
Fry at the Right Temperature: Maintain a medium-high heat. Too hot, and the pancakes may burn on the outside before cooking through; too low, and they can become greasy and soggy.
Flip Only Once: Flip the pancakes only once during cooking to ensure they have enough time to develop a crispy crust on each side.
Drain Excess Oil: After frying, place the pancakes on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil, which helps keep them crispy.
What is the difference between Latkes and Potato Pancakes??
Potato pancakes and latkes in my opinion are the same thing! The way they are prepared, and what seasonings they are made with can vary a little bit. Plus of course how thick they are made and the type of potato or how much flour is used can also play into differences. But I find these tend range house to house and restaurant to restaurant- not neccesaruly as a distinct differences between latkes and potato pancakes.
Sometimes I feel like the potato pancakes that I see in restaurants are not as thin as the latkes that I have seen- BUT there doesn’t seem to be a rule that is follow with how they are to be made or any sort of true consistency.
The name differences really just differentiate what culture of people that are making them! That’s about it :)
Other “variations” of potato pancakes:
Latkes: A specific type of potato pancake traditionally made for Hanukkah in Jewish cuisine. They are typically made with grated potatoes and onions, mixed with eggs and flour or matzo meal, and served with sour cream and applesauce.
Kartoffelpuffer: German potato pancakes that might be seasoned with a variety of spices and served with applesauce or other toppings.
Draniki: Belarusian potato pancakes that are similar to latkes but may have variations in ingredients and seasoning.
Gluten & Dairy Free Ultra Crisp Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 5 Lbs of Potatoes shredded and squeezed heavily using a cheesecloth. Russet potatoes work best!) Peeling the potatoes is optional and is up to your personal preference.
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/4 Cup Potato Starch
- 1/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp Gluten Free King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour
- 2 Tbsp + 1 Tsp Potato Flour (note this is different than potato starch)
- 4 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
- Oil of choice for shallow frying.
Instructions
- Wash your potatoes and then shred by hand OR cut into strips to shred in a food processor with a grating attachment. You Can peel the potatoes or skip that step entirely depending on your preferences.
- Place the potatoes into a large piece of cheesecloth and squeeze them for a good 3-5 minutes wringing out every bit of water that you can.
- Place the potatoes in a large bowl and mix them well with the eggs, potato starch, King Arthur, potato flour salt and pepper!
- Turn on a nonstick or well seasoned cast iron skillet over medium to medium low heat adding a thin layer of oil. Using a small to medium sized cookie scoop add a few scoops of potato pancakes to the hot pan. Gently pressing down with the back of the scoop to somewhat flatten the pancakes. At this point they will not stick together the best- so be gentle!! The goal is to just press the mound down gently keeping all the shredded potatoes still touching. Allow to fry for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and holding together nicely. Then flip it once and fry the other side for another 3-5 minutes.
- Partially into this frying process you may notice that you have liquids starting to pool in the bottom of your potato pancake mixture. If this happens (It will happen more or less depending on the moisture content of the potatoes you choose!) place everything from the bowl back into the cheesecloth and give it a good squeeze to remove more liquid! A dry (ish) potato batter will yield crispier more delicious finished pancakes!
- Continue on and fry the rest of the potatoes adding more oil the pan with each batch. You will not need to add additional egg or seasoning if you opt to strain them a second time!
