Mashed Potato Pancakes - Recipe for Holiday Leftovers (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between latkes and potato pancakes? ›

Potato pancakes have a creamy, almost mashed-potato-like center, with a thin, golden, crisp exterior. Latkes, on the other hand, should have a deeply browned crust, with wispy, lacy edges. Latkes also aren't hash browns.

Cover with aluminum foil to keep the potatoes from drying out. Reheat at 350˚F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes reach 165˚F.

Mashed potatoes kept in the fridge should be thrown away if not used after 72 hours. That is the practice adhered to in most restaurants. Some will use it for an extra 24 hours if there's alot left but after that it is no longer fit to be used.

Your pancakes could be falling apart for a few different reasons. First, your mashed potatoes might have been too loose or runny. Or, you didn't add enough flour or eggs to the batter.

Vegetable oil or canola oil is usually best, because of its high smoking point. Latkes were traditionally made with schmaltz, or chicken fat, so if you have access to it, you should certainly add it in, because it does contribute to the flavor.

It can be tricky to reheat mashed potatoes on the stovetop because you can sometimes overstir (which leads to gluey potatoes), or understir (which leads to scorched pots). To avoid all this, try a double boiler approach: Place the potatoes in a bowl (stainless steel works best).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a dash of cream or milk, and some more butter to the dish before baking. To further avoid dryness, don't skimp on butter and other dairy products. Reheat the potatoes until they're warm throughout—the potatoes should reach 165 degrees before serving.

It's essential to drain and dry your potatoes well after you've cooked them in water. If you don't, all that excess moisture will have nowhere to go once you start mashing. Did I cook my potatoes too long?: Overcooked potatoes can be waterlogged.

As they age, or with improper storage, potatoes may develop sprouting and green spots. If there isn't any sprouting, you can use the color change as an indicator of spoilage. If the skin looks greenish or if there's sprouting present, you'll need to remove the sprouts or toss the whole potato, depending on severity.

Mashed potatoes should easily last three to five days in the fridge if stored correctly and within two hours of cooking. This means ensuring there isn't any moisture buildup under the lid that could encourage the growth of bacteria.

When should you throw away potatoes? ›

Potatoes that are soft, mushy, squeezable, or moist are past their prime. "If you cut into a potato and it looks green or brown throughout, you should throw your potatoes away," said Silness. If it's just a few blemishes, those can be trimmed off, and the potato can be salvaged.

After peeled or grated potatoes are exposed to air they will begin to turn gray or brown. This appearance can be off-putting, but the good news is that the quality of the potato isn't compromised. This is a harmless natural reaction and it is perfectly fine to cook and eat potatoes even if they have turned gray.

Potato pancakes may turn out mushy if there is too much moisture in the potatoes or if the batter is too wet.

Get That Moisture Out.

Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, wring out as much moisture as possible. If you don't drain the moisture, they won't crisp as easily and that may be why your potato pancakes are gummy.

These potato pancakes (called latkes) are meant to symbolize the miracle of Hanukkah, when the oil of the menorah in the ransacked Second Temple of Jerusalem was able to stay aflame for eight days even though there was only enough oil for one day. The symbolism comes in the form of the oil in which latkes are fried.

Hash browns are shredded potatoes, fried (or air-fried), til golden brown. They typically remain loose, or in shreds. Latkes, a.k.a potato pancakes, are grated or ground potatoes that are mixed with egged, flour, or other binding agents. They are one piece, like a pancake.

PSA: Latkes are not the same as hash browns. 📣 Easy way to remember: you grate potatoes for latkes, you shred them for hashbrowns.

Potato pancakes are associated with almost every European cuisine and are referred to as a variety of names including latkes (Jewish culture), kartoffelpuffer (Germany), bramborak (Slovakia and Czech Republic), draniki (Austria), tattifish (England) and rosti (Switzerland) (“Potato Pancake Background”, n.d).