Placki Ziemniaczane
Placki ziemniaczane is one of the most popular Polish home dishes, a simple recipe that turns potatoes, the staple ingredient of Polish cuisine, into a crispy snack cherished from peasant times to today. The recipe emerged as a practical way to use potatoes available in abundance in rural households, a cheap and always accessible ingredient even in leaner years. There are heated regional debates about the correct ratio of potato to flour, as well as whether onion should be added or not — some families insist on a fine, almost pancake-like texture, while others prefer visible chunks of grated potato. Placki are often served as a main dish with sour cream and sometimes crispy bacon bits, but also as a side alongside roasted meats or as a sweet dessert sprinkled with sugar, depending on the region and family tradition.
Grated potatoes
Finely grated raw potato, squeezed dry
Grated onion
Grated onion adds sweetness and flavour
Fried crisp
Fried in hot oil until golden
Sour cream
Classically served with thick sour cream
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1 kg potatoes, peeled
- 1 large onion
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Thick sour cream for serving
- Chopped parsley for garnish
How to make it
- 1Peel the potatoes and onion, then finely grate them together straight into a large bowl.
- 2Drain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, pressing firmly to remove as much liquid as possible.
- 3Let the drained liquid settle for a few minutes, then pour off the water on top, keeping the starch that settles at the bottom, which is added back to the potatoes.
- 4Add the eggs, flour, salt and pepper to the potato mixture and combine well with a fork or spoon.
- 5Heat a generous layer of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, then spoon in the mixture, flattening it gently.
- 6Fry the pancakes for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp at the edges.
- 7Drain on paper towels and serve hot, with thick sour cream and chopped parsley on top.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
