Placki ziemniaczane are one of Poland's great everyday pleasures. They are sold hot at food stalls at summer festivals, harvest fairs and Christmas markets, and they are a regular weekday lunch at home, made from nothing more than potato, onion, egg and a spoonful of flour. Poles divide neatly into those who eat them savory, with sour cream, and those who eat them sweet, with sugar, and both camps are correct.

They also appear as placek po węgiersku, a giant pancake folded over a ladle of goulash, which is how they turn up in many a roadside restaurant. Ours are snack sized, for eating straight from the pan in the middle of a race.

The batter

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) starchy potatoes such as russets
• 1 small yellow onion
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove

Method

1. Grate the potatoes and onion on the fine side of the box grater into the sieve set over a bowl, alternating potato and onion.
2. Press the grated potato firmly with your hand or a spoon to squeeze out liquid. Leave the liquid to stand 5 minutes, then carefully pour it away, keeping the white starch at the bottom of the bowl.
3. Add the squeezed potato to the starch with the egg, flour, salt, pepper and garlic, and mix well.

Frying

Ingredients

• about 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable or canola oil

Method

1. Pour oil into the skillet to a depth of about 1/8 inch (3 mm) and heat over medium high for 3 minutes.
2. Drop in heaped tablespoons of batter, spaced apart, and flatten each with the back of the spoon to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and fry 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir the batter between batches, since liquid collects at the bottom, and add oil as needed.
3. Drain on the paper towels, then keep warm in the oven on the baking sheet while you fry the rest.

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