It's hard to improve on the classic potato pancake, served with sour cream and applesauce. But sometimes a little variation can be fun. These potato pancakes have a few delicious surprises without straying too far from the original.
The pancake batter has a mix of sweet and regular potatoes, as well as some jalepeño for kick. The sweet potatoes add a caramel note that goes well with the cheese sauce, which is made by cooking onions, peppers, and garlic until they are very soft, then adding queso fresco cheese for creaminess and a little tang.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped very fine
- 2 jalapeño peppers, minced (about 4 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chile powder (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese (or farmers cheese, or mild feta)
- 1 large white potato
- 1 large sweet potato
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons flour
- Vegetable oil and butter for frying
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil until golden and soft.
- Add the chopped pepper, 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño, cumin, chile powder, and salt to taste. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat, until vegetables are golden and very tender.
- Raise heat to medium. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup vegetable broth, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, until most of the liquid is evaporated and you have a thick sauce.
- Stir in the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese has blended into the sauce. Keep sauce barely warm while you prepare the pancakes.
- Peel and finely grate the potatoes. Press grated potatoes between paper towels to remove excess water.
- Stir 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño, and 3 tablespoons flour into the potatoes. Season generously with salt.
- Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet on medium heat.
- When oil is hot, add tablespoons of potato batter to skillet. Flatten and shape into round pancakes with a spatula. Oil should be hot enough that pancakes sizzle gently.
- Cook pancakes for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown, pressing down gently with spatula. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels, and repeat with rest of batter.
- Pancakes can be kept warm in a 200 degree oven for up to 30 minutes, on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.
- Serve pancakes warm with cheese sauce.
Makes about 15-20 pancakes.
