Belarus · Vegetable and Mushroom Dishes · Vegetarian

Potato Pancakes (Draniki)

Name: Potato Pancakes (Draniki)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Belarusian
Ingredients: 1 kg starchy potatoes; 1 large onion; 1 tsp salt, or to taste; optional freshly ground black pepper; for frying vegetable oil; for serving sour cream; optional, for garnish freshly chopped dill or chives

Draniki are the heart and soul of Belarusian cuisine. These golden potato pancakes, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, are traditionally served hot from the skillet with a generous dollop of cold sour cream.

33 min 225 kcal 4 serves Medium🌿Vegetarian🇧🇾Belarus★★★★★5.0· 5 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

1 kgstarchy potatoes
1 largeonion
1 tspsalt, or to taste
optionalfreshly ground black pepper
for fryingvegetable oil
for servingsour cream
optional, for garnishfreshly chopped dill or chives

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“Draniki — Belarusian potato pancakes — are a dish that rewards technique over fancy ingredients. The single most important step is squeezing every last drop of liquid from the grated potatoes; I use a clean kitchen towel and wring it like my life depends on it. Wet potatoes steam in the pan instead of crisping, and you end up with sad, floppy discs. The pan must be scorching hot with a generous layer of oil before the first pancake goes in — if the oil doesn't sizzle aggressively on contact, it's not hot enough. I grate the potatoes on the finest grater possible for a smooth, lacy texture rather than chunky hash browns.”

After grating, let the potato liquid settle for 5 minutes, then pour off the water but keep the white starch that sinks to the bottom — stir it back in for extra crispiness and binding.

Method

Peel the potatoes and onion. Using the fine side of a box grater, grate both into a large bowl (grating the onion with the potatoes helps prevent browning).
Transfer the grated mixture to a sieve or cheesecloth. Press down firmly to remove as much excess liquid as possible — this is the key to crispy draniki. Return to the bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix well.
Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. The oil should be shimmering but not smoking.
Spoon heaping tablespoons of the potato mixture into the hot oil, flattening each one slightly to form a small pancake. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-5 minutes per side until the edges are deep golden brown and the pancakes are crispy.
Transfer to paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve immediately while hot and crispy with a large spoonful of cold sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.

FAQ

The main reason is too much moisture in the potato mixture. After grating, squeeze the potato well through a cheesecloth or kitchen towel to remove as much juice as possible. Add 1–2 tablespoons of flour or starch per 500g of potato — this binds the mixture together. The egg also acts as a binder; without it, draniki hold together less well. Fry in a well-heated pan with enough oil — on a cold pan they stick and tear when flipped.

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Comments (1)

Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
Start potatoes in cold salted water for potato pancakes. Hot water cooks the outside before the heat reaches the center, giving you mushy exteriors around raw cores. Cold start means even cooking throughout.