Cheesy Potato Pancakes

 

We really like potato pancakes in this house and I made some at the weekend for Todd to enjoy for breakfast with his bacon and eggs. 

 

 

One thing I really miss over here in the UK are the loose frozen hashbrown potatoes.  They always came in handy for weekend breakfasts.  You can buy hashbrown patties here, but they are not quite the same thing in my opinion!

 

Cheesy Potato Pancakes are almost like a mashed potato fritter and are excellent served with a fried egg on top and a side of grilled bacon!

 

You make the mashed potatoes for these the night before and put it in the refrigerator to get really cold.

 

Then when you get up you simply add in the remaining ingredients, shape and fry. You might think that they aren't going to stay together, but trust me, they will and once you brown the first side, they hold together well and it is easy to flip them over and brown the second side.

 

Just make sure your oil is nicely heated before you add the pancakes.  Not too hot, but not too cold either.  You don't want the potatoes soaking it up like a sponge.  These are so tasty!  

 

*Cheesy Potato Pancakes*

Makes about 12

Printable Recipe 

These are easy to make, crispy and very tasty!  Serve for breakfast with some eggs and bacon!  Plan ahead as the potato mixture really needs to chill overnight before using.

3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
120g of grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)
3 spring onions, trimmed and finely minced

3 TBS finely minced red peppers

1 medium free range egg, beaten

45g of grated Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup)

3 TBS plain flour (plus more for coating)

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

freshly grated nutmeg

vegetable oil for frying 


Place the potatoes into a pot of lightly salted water to cover.   Bring to the boil.  Cook until tender.   Drain well and then return them to the pot, shaking them over the residual heat of the burner to dry them out well.  Mash them well or put them through a potato ricer.   Scrape them into a bowl and set aside to cool.   Once cool, cover and chill in the refrigerator until really cold, preferably overnight.  


When you are ready to cook them, stir together the cooked potato, the grated cheddar, spring onions, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste and beaten egg.   You may not need all of the egg.  You just want a mixture which will hold together well without being gloopy.  Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions.  Roll each into a ball.  Flatten into a pancake shape about 1/2 inch thick.   Coat each fritter well in plain flour.


Heat several tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large shallow frying pan.  Add the potato fritters a few at a time, cooking them on one side until they are crisp and brown before flipping them over to the other side and browning them on that side too.  Remove to a paper towel lined baking sheet.  Keep any cooked ones warm in a slow oven  until you finish cooking them all.   

 

Once again, it is the simple things in life which bring us the most pleasure.  These also make a great supper dish, again with eggs and bacon.  (We usually like to do this type of thing for supper rather than breakfast!) Bon Appetit!