Mum Edna's Potato Pancakes

Potato Pancakes on the griddle

My Mother-In-Law makes wonderful potato pancakes.  My husband swears they are the best and I'd have to agree.  They are plain, make no doubt about that - but that's the appeal of them. 

I did alot of research on trying to find this recipe.  Getting one from Edna was like pulling teeth.  Her directions to me were, "Well, just boil some potatoes and smash them with flour."  Right!  While they are nearly that simple, there is a bit more to them.  Adding too much flour makes them dry and they won't hold together nicely.  Too little, or not cooked properly, makes them doughy and rather unsettling.  There are no exact measurements here, but I'd say roughly, expect to add a cup or two of flour to 3 or 4 medium sized boiled potatoes.  You want the dough to be slightly sticky, but still able to be handled without much fuss.  The gluten should develop and hold together nicely.

So, when we visited Australia this year, I asked Edna to demonstrate her technique.  We boiled a few extra potatoes the night before and before mashing them with the dinner potatoes, she set those aside and refrigerated them for the next morning.  She claims, it's important that you don't used mashed potatoes because they contain milk and butter, which doesn't make the best pancakes.  I'd agree with that too.. since I already tried that once before and it was a failure.

So here you go.. try them if you like.  British and Aussie food is often times a bit bland, so the flavor of these won't bowl you over, but if you like a traditional, old fashioned, stick-to-your-ribs kind of a dish, they are just perfect.  Serve them at breakfast or at dinner.  The only resemblance to pancakes is the shape, so don't let that stop you from making them anytime.  I think the addition of some chives would be really tasty.. even green onion, thinly sliced might be nice.  It's up to you!

Edna's Potato Pancakes

Potatoes, peeled, quartered and boiled
Salt & Pepper to taste
Plain, white flour
Oil for grilling

1. Peel a few extra potatoes on a night when you're having mashed potatoes. For whatever reason, she told me you shouldn't use leftover mashed potatoes because the fat in them will cause your potato pancakes to become doughy when they are cooked. So, just boil a few extra, pull them out and refrigerate them until you're ready to make your pancakes.
2. In a large bowl, smash your potatoes with a fork. Leave a few chunks in them. My husband swears that chunks of potato really make them tasty. Salt and pepper them to taste and add flour by the handful. Depending on how many potatoes you've cooked, add flour with your hands and knead and mix it in with the potatoes right in the bowl. Your dough should be slightly sticky, but hold together well enough to roll out on a generously floured surface. If your dough is sticking to your fingers or the surface, add more flour. Remember, they should taste like potato.. not flour, so gauging how much flour is enough is up to you.
3. Potato pancakes are large.. like at least 8 inches in diameter. So pull off about a cup of the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin on a heavily floured surface. Keep lifting, turning and rotating the dough around to keep it from sticking. Roll them thin, no more than 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.  You can get them too thick and they taste doughy.  Too thin and they don't cook properly.
4. Heat an electric griddle to about 350 degrees. Add a few tablespoons of oil and let the griddle get hot. Add your pancakes and cook them for about 5-7 minutes each side. Check the underside for the right color. They should be golden brown. Flip them over, adding more oil if you need and continue to cook until they are golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate, spread some butter on them and enjoy. They are that simple.