Russian Potato Pancakes Recipe for Draniki

This Russian potato pancakes recipe for draniki in Russian or deruny in Ukrainian makes a delicious potato pancake that is slightly crispy on the outside and soft within. The recipe is versatile: finely grate the potato and onion for more of a pancake texture, or grate larger sized potato pieces for a crunchier pancake. Once ready, serve and eat immediately – before they get soft – with sour cream and fresh dill or sliced spring onions/scallions and/or chives.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Breakfast, snack, appetizer, side dish

Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian

Servings: Pieces

Calories: 35kcal

Author: Lara Dunston

Equipment

Ingredients

500 g potatoes
100 g white onion
1 egg
200 g all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Cooking oil
Sour cream

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Wash, peel and grate the potatoes and onion. For a finer pancake like those pictured, finely grate the potato and onion, but for a crunchier pancake, go for larger-sized grated potato and onion pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
In a separate dish, crack an egg and whisk until combined, then add it to the mixing bowl with the potato and onion. Add the salt and pepper and combine.
To the same mixing bowl, gradually add the flour and combine well. The batter should be thick, chunky and wet but not runny. Add a little more flour if necessary, then let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
While the batter is resting, finely chop the fresh dill, spring onions/scallions and/or chives, pour some sour cream or crème fraiche into a dish, and lay paper kitchen towels onto a wire rack or tray for draining the pancakes after they're fried, as you’ll want to serve the pancakes immediately once they’re done.
Heat a medium-sized fry pan or skillet to medium-high heat and add enough cooking oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Drop a little mixture in the pan; if it sizzles it’s ready.
Turn down to medium heat then drop a tablespoon of batter into the pan, using a spatula to quickly flatten it and shape it into a circle before it sets and the edges starts to brown.
Repeat until you’ve filled the pan. You should be able to cook 4 or 5 pancakes in one batch. By the time you finish shaping the fourth or fifth pancake, the first pancake should be ready to turn over. Each batch should take around 5 minutes to cook.
Using a turner or spatula, flip the first pancake over. If it’s not brown yet, then leave the others for another minute or so, then turn one over. If it’s nice and brown and crispy, then turn the others over one by one, and flip the first one over again so it’s brown and crispy on both sides.
As they're done, transfer the pancakes to the wire rack to soak excess oil, then repeat until you’ve used up all the batter. If you're not serving the pancakes immediately transfer them to a tray in a warm oven.
Serve immediately while still crispy with extra salt and pepper, and dishes of fresh dill, spring onions/scallions and/or chives, and sour cream. If you don’t serve the pancakes straight away they will start to soften.

Nutrition