About the dish
The aim is a thin pancake with a crisp edge and a cooked potato centre. Spread the grated mixture evenly so the middle is no thicker than the edges. Fry a small first pancake to judge the heat before filling the pan; changing pancake thickness changes the result more than adding a garnish.
Preparation
For a crisp edge, spread small portions rather than a thick layer. Compare plain pancakes with meat-filled versions; a potato name alone does not make a dish vegetarian when the filling or sauce contains pork.
Where to taste or learn more
Senoji Kibininė in Trakai serves potato pancakes. Ask for bulviniai blynai and choose the filling and sauce separately; do not confuse them with stuffed Žemaičių blynai.
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Ingredients (serves 4, makes ~16 pancakes)
Add only what you need, or add the whole recipe at once.
- 1 kg waxy potatoes, peeled
- 1 medium onion, finely grated (optional)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons plain flour (or omit for traditional flour-free version)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar (prevents browning)
- Vegetable oil for frying (about 200 ml total)
- To serve: 200 ml sour cream, fresh dill, optional lingonberry jam or mushroom sauce
Method
- Grate the peeled potatoes on the finest holes of a grater (or use a food processor). Mix in the lemon juice immediately to prevent browning.
- Working in batches, place the grated potato in a clean tea towel or muslin and squeeze hard over a bowl. The potato should feel dry. Reserve the squeezed liquid in the bowl.
- Let the squeezed liquid sit for 10 minutes. Pour off the cloudy liquid carefully, leaving the white starch at the bottom of the bowl. Mix this starch back into the squeezed potato.
- Add the grated onion (if using), eggs, flour (if using), salt, and pepper to the potato. Mix well. The batter should be thick but spreadable.
- Heat half a centimetre of oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
- Drop heaped tablespoons of batter into the pan, flattening each into a thin disc with the back of the spoon. Cook 3-4 at a time. Do not crowd.
- Fry for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and crispy. Drain briefly on paper towels.
- Serve immediately, hot, in stacks with a spoonful of sour cream on top, fresh dill, and optional lingonberry jam or mushroom sauce on the side.
Estimated energy is calculated from the listed quantities. Actual values vary with brands, optional ingredients and serving size. For dishes fried in fat, the amount absorbed also changes the estimate.