Parmesan Potato Pancake

I have decided that one of my favorite kinds of foods are those that you can butcher the structure of and it will still be delicious.  That's what this potato pancake recipe is for me.  In trying to flip the pancake over I managed to completely demolish its structural integrity.  Trying to put it back together just made it look like some weird potato version of Frankenstein's monster.   So my technique on this one definitely needs some work.  Luckily, I did have one intact piece that was big enough for a picture. 

Regardless of how it looked, this really was a delicious recipe from Trentino-Alto Adige.  The flavor of the onion really comes through, and the parmesan adds just the right amount of saltiness. Other than using it as a side dish or a first course, this would be great as a breakfast side dish. 

(I promise, this isn't really burnt that much, it's the lighting that's making it look darker than it is!)

Parmesan Potato Pancake

Adapted from Food Network

-Serves 4 as a first course or side dish-

Ingredients:

2 pounds yellow potatoes

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Process:

1. Peel the potatoes and grate them using a food processor.  Squeeze the grated potato in a clean washcloth to get rid of any excess water in the potatoes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and cook about 4 minutes until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
3. Put the onions in a large bowl.  Add the grated potatoes, parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper.  Mix everything together.
4. Put 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet used for the onions.  Heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, spread the potato mixture ito the edges of the pan.  Press it down firmly and make sure that it is even throughout the pan.
5. Turn the heat down to medium and cook 12-15 minutes or until the pancake is golden brown on the bottom and moves easily in the pan.  Flip the pancake onto a large plate. 
6. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and turn heat up to medium-high.  When the oil is hot, return the pancake to the pan, cooked side up.  Cook for another 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.  Turn heat down to medium if the pancake is cooking too quickly.  Remove from the pan and serve!

Ryan's rating of Parmesan Potato Pancake - 4.

Comments

[Jeanne]

What type of onion did you use? Is there any sauce these are usually served with or are they moist enough on their own?

[Sue]

I used regular yellow onion. There's no "traditional" sauce that I found to go along with this (the potato does stay quite moist), but I could see it working with several different sauces. You could try just a marinara sauce, or a alfredo-type sauce, or just garnish it with some sour cream.

[Momma C]

OH, I have so many recipes to try.