Placki
Placki (Potato Pancakes)
As kids, we always called them plot-ski, and some times that's what we were called by our mom after spending too much time sitting on the couch watching TV!
What you'll need:
3 or 4 medium size baking potatoes
one small onion
one egg
flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
vegetable or peanut
oil (I prefer peanut)
one stick of good old fashioned butter.
Peel the
potatoes and grate them (fine) in a large bowl, do the same with the onion,
then mix in the to form your batter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Next add the
1/4 tsp of baking powder and a couple of tablespoons of flour (up to 1/2 cup
until you get an oatmeal consistency).
OK, heat one cup of oil in a large frying pan, or enough to cover the bottom with about 1/8" of oil. When the oil starts to "swim" (small bubbles start to form and you smell it heating), drop in a little batter and it should start to sizzle. Grab an ordinary soup spoon, fill it with batter and drop batter into the hot oil, spreading it out slightly to form a potato sized patty, about 1/4" thick and 3" long, 2" wide (don't use a ruler). Repeat this step until the frying pan is full, making sure to leave space around each pancake. Fry each side for 3-4 minutes or until they turn a golden brown. Remove Placki and place on a plate with several layers of paper towels to absorb excess oil and cool slightly.
OK, heat one cup of oil in a large frying pan, or enough to cover the bottom with about 1/8" of oil. When the oil starts to "swim" (small bubbles start to form and you smell it heating), drop in a little batter and it should start to sizzle. Grab an ordinary soup spoon, fill it with batter and drop batter into the hot oil, spreading it out slightly to form a potato sized patty, about 1/4" thick and 3" long, 2" wide (don't use a ruler). Repeat this step until the frying pan is full, making sure to leave space around each pancake. Fry each side for 3-4 minutes or until they turn a golden brown. Remove Placki and place on a plate with several layers of paper towels to absorb excess oil and cool slightly.
Now comes the good part.
Cut a healthy slice of cold butter
and place on a pancake. Smear the butter around a bit (there should be enough
texture and heat remaining to melt some of the butter quickly). I don't need to
tell you what to do next because at this point, if you haven't already eaten
your first placki, well, you're missing an awesome experience. Don't be afraid
to experiment with this basic recipe and add your own ingredients. Left-over's
can be saved for another day and quickly reheated in a microwave or toaster
oven. Placki make a great meal anytime, but something about eating them of a
Friday evening after work just seems like the right thing to do!
Share your
Placki cooking experience with us.
Powodzenia! (Good Luck)
Powodzenia! (Good Luck)