These crispy outside and soft inside fried potato pancakes are famous all over Germany and Austria. They are often served as an appetizer with applesauce and sour cream, a fruit compote, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or as part of a breakfast with eggs and bacon. They’re also served as a side as a part of a main meal of roasted meat or chicken.

Kartoffelpuffer – German Potato Pancakes

These classic potatoes are not only famous in Germany and Austria, but all over Central and Eastern Europe by different names like Ladkes. They're not hard to make once the potatoes have been grated and liquid wrung out. They can be served with most sauced meats but are especially good eaten alone with applesauce and a dollop of sour cream. The same recipe can be made into Potato Kugel (see Notes), a Passover favorite.

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Course: Appetizer, Brunch, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: German

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 25

Servings: pancakes

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Food processor with grating attachment
Large non-stick frying pan
Kitchen towel

Ingredients

2½ lb Starchy potatoes, peeled and halved across the middle
1 small Onion, peeled
2 large Eggs, beaten
¼ cup Flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
4 tbsp Vegetable oil

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Prepare Pancakes – Grate the potatoes in a food processor with grating attachment. Dump grated potatoes into a kitchen towel and wring out all the liquid into the sink. Grate the onions next and pour grated onions into large bowl. Then add the potatoes, eggs, flour, and salt to the bowl. Work everything into a tacky mixture with your hands. Cook right away.
Cook Pancakes – Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place ¼ cup of the mixture into the hot oil. Flatten with the back of a spatula. Fry until both sides are golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels and sprinkle lightly with a salt, Serve hot with sour cream and applesauce.

Notes

Kartoffelpuffer can be cooked in advance and frozen indefinitely.
To ensure a crisp surface, squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the shredded potatoes.