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Potato pancakes without eggs in a skillet
Instructions
Prepare all the ingredients according to the list above for making potato pancakes without eggs in a frying pan. Peel the potatoes and onions.
Grate the onion and potatoes on the finest grater. You can also grind the products with a blender or food processor. The minced onion should be added to the potatoes immediately to keep the mixture light in colour and prevent it from darkening. The grated potatoes should be transferred to a sieve and left for a few minutes to drain the liquid, then the potato mixture will be denser. The potato juice should not be poured out immediately; it needs some time to settle. After about five minutes total, potato starch will appear at the bottom of the juice container, now the liquid should be drained, and the starch transferred back to the potatoes. This natural starch will help the pancakes hold their shape and not fall apart. Thanks to the starch, there will be no need to add eggs to the dish.
Usually, old potatoes have a lot of natural starch. But what to do if the potatoes are young and still have little starch? In this case, additional starch or a little flour will be needed. But do not add eggs to the pancakes, otherwise, you will end up with potato fritters instead. Mix the mass well using a balloon whisk.
Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to the potato mixture. Choose spices to your personal taste and desire.
Place the frying pan on the stove to heat, and pour in the vegetable oil. In the meantime, the potato mixture will rest and properly thicken.
As soon as the oil is properly heated, switch the stove to medium heat. Use a tablespoon to place the potato mixture in the frying pan. Fry the pancakes on both sides for about five minutes total. You need to achieve a golden crust and good cooking inside so that the deruny are not raw in the centre.
Transfer the finished potato pancakes without eggs from the frying pan to a plate with a paper towel to remove excess fat. Then place the deruny on a serving dish and serve them at the table with sour cream alongside.The potato pancakes without eggs in a frying pan are a truly homemade, family-friendly dish. Prepare pancakes using this culinary recipe on a Sunday morning or as a snack for your loved ones. They will always be happy to have such a dish at the family table.
Tips
- 1
Save the natural potato starch sediment from the squeezed potato juice and add it back into the grated potato mass, since this natural starch acts as a binder in the absence of eggs and produces noticeably more cohesive finished pancakes. The brief patience step of letting the juice settle for a few minutes genuinely matters for the most beautifully intact finished draniki every single time at home.
- 2
Use older potatoes (rather than young new potatoes) for the most starch-rich finished result, since old potatoes contain significantly more natural starch that binds the mixture without any added flour or eggs. To pair these beautifully crispy potato pancakes with another properly classic homemade Belarusian-style preparation for variety in your weekly menu, try our beautifully tender lenten potato draniki in a skillet without eggs as a contrasting fasting-friendly alternative.
- 3
Heat the oil thoroughly before adding the batter, since insufficiently hot oil produces noticeably greasy soggy finished pancakes that absorb too much fat. The brief patience for proper oil heating genuinely matters for the most beautifully crispy finished texture. Test the oil temperature with a small drop of batter — it should sizzle immediately on contact with the hot fat.
- 4
Serve the freshly fried pancakes with a generous dollop of cool sour cream, plain Greek yoghurt, or even a small spoonful of fresh berry compote for properly varied serving applications. For another properly classic homemade Slavic-cuisine recipe to add variety to your weekly menu, try our beautifully tender pumpkin and potato draniki as a contrasting sweet-and-savoury vegetable alternative.
FAQ
Why don't these pancakes need eggs? +
The natural starch in the potato itself acts as the binding agent in the absence of eggs. By saving the starch sediment from the released potato juice and adding it back to the grated potato mass, the mixture properly binds together during frying without any need for eggs. This makes the recipe suitable for vegans, those observing strict religious fasting, or anyone with egg allergies. The finished texture is genuinely just as good as the egg-based version with no compromises.
Can I add other vegetables? +
Absolutely. Try adding finely grated carrot, grated zucchini (squeezed dry), grated parsnip, finely chopped fresh herbs (dill, parsley, chives), or even a small amount of grated cheese for properly varied finished flavour profiles. Each addition brings its own character to the pancakes. Avoid adding too many vegetables at once, since this can produce a wet finished mixture that doesn't crisp up properly. Two or three thoughtful additions alongside the core potato base produce the best balanced finished result.
How long do these pancakes keep? +
Store leftover potato pancakes covered loosely with cling film at room temperature for up to one day, or refrigerate covered for up to three days for best results. Reheat gently in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side to restore some of the original crispness, or in a 180-degree oven for about 5-7 minutes total. Avoid the microwave entirely for reheating, since the steam produced makes the previously crispy pancakes disappointingly soggy.
What can I serve with these pancakes? +
Traditional Belarusian potato draniki are most classically served with cool sour cream, but they also work absolutely brilliantly with cottage cheese, smoked salmon, gravlax, sautéed mushrooms with onions, garlic-herb butter, fresh herbs and lemon wedges, or even a generous spoonful of caviar for a properly festive finished presentation at the celebration table. The neutral potato flavour pairs absolutely brilliantly with countless toppings and accompaniments across various world cuisines.
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