Belarusian cuisine: Kartoplyaniki – recipe

Country kitchen

Kartoplyaniki is a well-known dish in Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Russian cuisine, but I think the crown for all potato recipes goes to Belarus.

Kartoplyaniki are pan-fried pastries made with boiled potatoes. They can also be filled, with cabbage, meat, mushrooms, or liver. Whether filled or unfilled, kartoplyaniki are a cozy, home-style dish.

In our photo recipe, we'll show you step-by-step how to make a basic version of kartoplyaniki—without filling.

Ingredients:

0.5 kg potatoes:
2-4 tablespoons flour;
1 chicken egg, not large;
salt, ground black pepper to taste;
vegetable oil for frying.

How to cook kartoplyaniki

Boil the potatoes in their skins until tender. Peel them while they're still warm and chop them into bite-size pieces that will fit in a meat grinder. Grind the peeled potatoes while they're still warm. If the potatoes cool completely, even after grinding, the mixture won't be smooth, which will affect the appearance of the potato pancakes.

Add egg, flour, salt and ground black pepper to the minced potatoes.

Mix thoroughly. Depending on the potato variety, you may need slightly more or less flour.

Form 8-10 identical balls from the potato mixture. Flatten each ball with your fingers to form a round patty – a "kartoplyanik."

We roll them in flour.

Heat a frying pan with vegetable oil and add the potato pancakes. Place them loosely to make it easier to flip. Fry over medium-high heat until golden brown on the bottom. Using a spatula, carefully flip the potato pancakes and fry the other side in the same manner.

Serve the finished potato pancakes immediately, hot. Serve with sour cream or any sauce.

Potato pancakes can serve as an excellent side dish to meat or be a standalone dish.