Draniki, deruny, latkes are a rather old dish (as old as a potato dish can ever be), widespread throughout all the former northwestern provinces of the Russian Empire, among all the peoples who inhabited these territories. They should not only be confused with drachons, a dish of the Central Russian strip, a middle ground between pancakes and omelets.
Draniki
Draniki - delicious and hearty thing, in cooking them has its own subtleties and nuances, but in general the process is not complicated. Oddly enough, but similar to the case of seemingly unpretentious cheesecakes, the result is often quite unsuccessful. Let's try to figure it out.
The main reason for these failures is the wrong kind of potatoes. I can not confidently recommend this or that variety, in addition, it will not necessarily be available in your case. Some varieties work fine and some don't work at all. The important thing is the starch content - the more of it, the better. Young potatoes are not suitable for potato dumplings.
Ingredients for draniki
They can consist of potatoes and onions, salt and pepper, but more often they contain flour, starch, eggs and milk to make sure that they don't fall apart and hold their shape. One has to squeeze one potato from excess water, adding flour or starch simplifies the process and makes it more predictable, but, according to purists, coarsens the taste and makes the draniki rubbery.
There is also disagreement among supporters of grating potatoes on a coarse or fine grater, some go as far as the meat grinder or blender. I think you have to try everything and decide for yourself what you like best. Strongly shredded potatoes are harder to handle and worse squeezed, just it more often gives the effect of "rubberiness". But then again, it's up to you.
Highly shredded potatoes are more difficult to handle and less squeezable
It is best to fry draniki in melted butter and in a cast-iron frying pan, just like other pancakes and pancakes. This activity requires some skill, however, it is acquired rather quickly by exercise. Usually, frying is enough, but the thick pancakes with all sorts of fillings, and bring them under the lid on low heat, adding a little water.
They are best fried in ghee and in a cast-iron frying pan
The doughnuts themselves are poured onto the pan with a spoon like pancakes. The oil should be well heated, then the fire should be reduced to medium.
The doughnuts are put on the pan with a spoon, like pancakes.
A rather subtle point is turning the doughnuts over - it is convenient to do it with a fork and a spatula at the same time.
It is convenient to turn the draniki with a fork and a spatula at the same time
After frying the draniki you can "sweat" them in a pan under a lid
Tarts
Ready doughnuts
Additions to pancakes are similar to additions to omelettes - cheese, mushrooms, zucchini, sausage, bacon, up to minced meat. Most often the doughnuts are served with sour cream, but creamy, mushroom, and tomato sauces are also excellent.
Additives for dumplings are similar to additives for omelets.
The usual recipe for potato dumplings is one onion per half a kilo of potatoes, and that's it, or plus one egg, two tablespoons of flour or starch, salt and pepper to taste.
Jewish latkes, which are traditionally made for Hanukkah, are very similar to potato dumplings. The difference latkes is a much larger amount of eggs, 4 eggs per half a kilo of potatoes. The grated potatoes must be squeezed very well. To make the latkes hold together better, they often have matzo chips added to them, like breadcrumbs. Then the dough should be allowed to stand for a while to allow the crumbs to swell and draw out the liquid. The thinner the potatoes are grated, the thicker the latkes can be made, and vice versa. Potatoes for latkes are often not peeled, but grated with the skin.
Finally, the Irish, who are rivals of the Belarusians in love with potatoes, have no less traditional boxty. An Irish proverb says sternly: "If you can't fry boxty, you'll stay a virgin. Everything is very similar, but the dough is made from a mixture of equal parts coarsely grated potatoes and mashed potatoes, with the addition of milk, egg and flour. The grated potatoes should also be squeezed well. This is a good recipe, it gives confident results, but even here there are those who "remain in the virgins", what can you do. For 900 grams of potatoes take one egg, 180 ml of milk (for mashed potatoes and dough) and 3-4 tablespoons of flour. Eggs can be larger, then increase the proportion of flour. Onions are not put in the boksti.
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