Chef-tested recipe
Crisp-edged Belarusian potato pancakes with a soft, savoury centre.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Cuisine
- Belarusian
- Course
- Main or Side Dish
- Cooking Method
- Pan-frying
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best Served With
- Sour cream and fresh dill
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Ingredients
- 900 g floury potatoes, peeled paid link
- 120 g onion
- 1 large egg, about 50 g
- 20 g plain flour, only if needed paid link
- 8 g fine salt paid link
- 2 g black pepper
- 80 ml neutral oil, for frying paid link
- 150 g sour cream, to serve
- 10 g dill, chopped, optional
Method
Finely grate the potatoes and onion. Let stand for 2 minutes, then drain only the obvious excess liquid.
Stir in egg, salt and pepper. Add flour only if the mixture is too loose to hold on a spoon.
Heat a thin layer of oil in a heavy frying pan over medium heat.
Spoon in small pancakes and flatten to about 1 cm thick. Fry for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through.
Drain briefly and serve hot with sour cream and dill.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Work quickly after grating so the potatoes do not oxidise heavily.
- Small pancakes crisp more reliably than very large ones.
- Do not crowd the pan.
Substitutions
- Crème fraîche or thick plain yoghurt can replace sour cream.
- For an egg-free version, use 25–30 g potato starch to help bind.
Storage
Draniki are best fresh. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days and reheat in a hot oven or dry frying pan to restore some crispness.
Allergen Notes
Egg, wheat and milk are present in the standard serving.
Always Cook with Heart. Always!
