Savory potato cakes are a great, warming breakfast or snack as the weather cools. They come in many forms, from Jewish latkes to Indian aloo tikki to British bubble & squeak.
Potatoes are easily accessible and cheap in many parts of the world, which is why they appear as a staple in certain cuisines. I'm all about the cheap eats and always have lots of potatoes on hand. If you do, too, then this potato cakes recipe should be your new go-to.
The potato cakes here don't closely align with any particular culture or tradition--they are a bit of a mishmash, which is just how I like my food. Throw in a bit of this and a bit of that, take influence from various sources, and hope for the best.
Luckily, in this case, my experiment came together smoothly. I thought that if people put applesauce on potato pancakes, why couldn't I try to put them inside? The flavor profiles suit each other well, and the raw apple adds the perfect amount of crunch to the soft potato mash.
It's a match made in heaven, believe it or not. I pan-fried my potato cakes, but you are welcome to try baking them for a lower-fat option. The cakes are quite soft on the inside, so if you prefer a drier, crispier texture, baking might be the way to go.
YIELDS
12 potato cakes
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon vegetable stock powder
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 green apple
- 1-2 tablespoons vegan butter or oil
- 1-2 tablespoons vegan yogurt or sour cream
Directions
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in pot, then add potatoes.
2. Cover and cook until tender (about 30 minutes)--if they are taking a long time to soften, stab them with a knife a few times.
3. Once cooked, drain potatoes and return to pot.
4. Add milk and stock powder and roughly mash.
5. Mix in flour and pepper.
6. Grate apple (including skin) and stir through potatoes.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or oil in a saucepan over high heat.
8. Once it starts to pop, reduce heat slightly and start to place large spoonfuls of potato mixture onto pan.
9. Use your spatula to shape each spoonful into a circle, then flip once the bottom starts to crisp and brown.
10. Cook on other side until it crisps and browns as well, then remove from pan.
11. Continue until all mixture is used.
12. Top potato cakes with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and serve!
2. Cover and cook until tender (about 30 minutes)--if they are taking a long time to soften, stab them with a knife a few times.
3. Once cooked, drain potatoes and return to pot.
4. Add milk and stock powder and roughly mash.
5. Mix in flour and pepper.
6. Grate apple (including skin) and stir through potatoes.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or oil in a saucepan over high heat.
8. Once it starts to pop, reduce heat slightly and start to place large spoonfuls of potato mixture onto pan.
9. Use your spatula to shape each spoonful into a circle, then flip once the bottom starts to crisp and brown.
10. Cook on other side until it crisps and browns as well, then remove from pan.
11. Continue until all mixture is used.
12. Top potato cakes with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and serve!
Also by Quincy: Vegan Kitchen Sink Bars
Related: Chickpea Hasbrown Scramble
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Photos: Quincy Malesovas
