Polish National Dishes

Placki ziemniaczane: Polish potato pancakes

These crisp-edged Polish potato pancakes are made from finely grated raw potatoes and onion, bound with egg and flour, then shallow-fried until golden. A measured spoonful of cool sour cream keeps the simple serving balanced. The batter is quick to mix, but draining the grated potatoes and frying in uncrowded batches are what help the pancakes brown instead of steam.

Polish National Dishes
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A wide view of „Placki ziemniaczane: Polish potato pancakes“ arranged on a table for serving.
Yield 6 servings, 12 medium pancakes
Portions 2 pancakes (about 80–90 g batter each) and 25 g sour cream per person
Difficulty easy to moderate
Dish type savoury potato pancakes; contains wheat, egg and milk
Ingredients ↓
About the dish

Placki ziemniaczane: Polish potato pancakes

Placki ziemniaczane are Polish pancakes made from raw grated potatoes, commonly combined with onion, flour, egg and seasonings before frying. They are enjoyed in different ways: sour cream is one savoury option, while other tables may choose a different topping or serve them simply. Potato pancakes also have regional variations; this straightforward onion version is a practical home-style recipe, not a claim to one universal formula or a separately registered regional speciality.

The potato mixture releases water as soon as it is grated. Pressing out the excess liquid and returning the settled potato starch helps the batter hold together without adding more flour than needed. Grating the onion with the potatoes also distributes its flavour through the pancakes.

Fry the pancakes in a thin layer of rapeseed oil, leaving room around each one. Moderate to medium-high heat gives the surface time to turn crisp and golden while the centre cooks through. The finished pancakes are best served promptly, when their edges are still crisp and the sour cream is cool.

Keys to success

Keys to success

  • Use floury or starchy potatoes and grate them finely for a cohesive batter.
  • Squeeze firmly, let the liquid settle for five minutes, then return the potato starch to the bowl.
  • Fry a small test pancake first; if it spreads excessively, mix in a little of the measured flour already listed rather than adding an unmeasured ingredient.
  • Keep the oil shimmering but never smoking, and avoid crowding the pan.
  • Cook each pancake until both faces are golden and its centre is hot and cooked through; do not taste raw batter.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Pancakes

  • 1 kg floury or starchy potatoes, weighed after peeling
  • 100 g yellow onion, peeled
  • 2 l arge eggs (about 100 g without shells), kept refrigerated until use
  • 45 g all-purpose wheat flour
  • 8 g fine salt
  • 1 g ground black pepper
  • 180 ml neutral rapeseed oil for shallow-frying, added as needed; the amount absorbed will vary

To serve

  • 150 g sour cream, kept refrigerated; serve 25 g per person
Method

Method

Directions

  1. Grate the potatoes and onion.Peel the potatoes and onion. Finely grate both into a large bowl, working promptly so the potatoes spend less time exposed to air.

  2. Drain and recover the starch.Transfer the grated mixture to a clean cloth or fine sieve over a bowl. Squeeze or press firmly to remove excess liquid. Leave the liquid undisturbed for about 5 minutes, carefully pour off the water and keep the white starch settled at the bottom. Return that starch to the grated mixture.

  3. Mix the batter.Beat the eggs in a small bowl, then stir them into the potato mixture with the flour, salt and pepper. Mix until evenly combined. Keep the eggs and raw batter away from ready-to-eat food; do not taste the batter and fry it promptly rather than storing it.

  4. Heat the pan.Add a thin layer of rapeseed oil to a heavy skillet and heat over medium to medium-high. If measured, aim for about 170–180 °C; the oil should shimmer without smoking. Adjust the heat if the first pancake browns too quickly.

  5. Shape and fry.Spoon about 80–90 g batter into the pan for each pancake and flatten it to a 9–10 cm round, about 5–7 mm thick. Leave space between pancakes and fry in batches for about 3–4 minutes per side. Turn when the underside is deep golden and the edges look set. Cook until both sides are crisp and the centre is fully cooked; where checked, the egg-containing centre should reach at least 71 °C.

  6. Drain and serve.Move each batch briefly to a wire rack or paper-lined tray. Add more of the measured oil as needed and let it heat again between batches. Serve two pancakes per person with 25 g cold sour cream.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

  • The pancakes are soft instead of crispDrain the potato mixture more firmly, use a hot thin layer of oil and fry fewer pancakes at once.
  • They brown before the middle cooksReduce the heat slightly and make the pancakes no thicker than 5–7 mm.
  • The batter becomes watery while waitingStir it before each batch and continue frying promptly; do not pour away the recovered starch from the first drain.
  • The pancakes break when turnedLet the first side set and turn only when its underside is golden; check that the mixture was pressed and the measured egg and flour were mixed through.
  • The oil smokesTake the pan off the heat briefly, lower the setting and resume only when the oil is no longer smoking.
Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving size2 pancakes and 25 g sour cream
  • Caloriesabout 350 kcal
  • Carbohydratesabout 46 g
  • Proteinabout 8 g
  • Fatabout 15 g
  • Fibreabout 5 g
  • Sodiumabout 650 mg

Values are estimates for one-sixth of the batch and assume about 60 ml of the frying oil is absorbed across all 12 pancakes. Potato variety, actual oil uptake, sour cream and salt brands will change the result.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Serve the pancakes as soon as possible after frying. Keep the sour cream chilled until serving, and return it to the refrigerator promptly. This recipe includes two pancakes and 25 g sour cream per portion; extra sides or toppings are not included in the nutrition estimate.

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Do not prepare the raw grated-potato batter ahead: it discolours, releases liquid and should not be stored with raw egg. Cooked leftovers and sour cream should be refrigerated separately within 2 hours, using shallow containers, at 4 °C or colder. Use cooked pancakes within 3–4 days and follow the sour cream package date. Reheat pancakes in a skillet or oven until hot throughout; a microwave warms them but softens their crisp edges. Freeze cooked pancakes promptly for longer storage, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat until hot throughout.

Contains wheat (gluten), egg and milk. Check labels and cross-contact statements, especially for flour and sour cream. Keep eggs refrigerated; keep the raw batter and utensils separate from ready-to-eat food, wash hands and surfaces after handling, and do not taste raw batter. Fry each pancake until the centre is fully cooked; egg-containing food should reach at least 71 °C / 160 °F where measured. Refrigerate cooked pancakes and sour cream separately within 2 hours in shallow containers at 4 °C or colder. Reheat pancakes until hot throughout and do not keep raw grated-potato batter for later use.

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