Bramborák

A bramborák is a Czech potato pancake, made with grated potatoes, seasoned with garlic and marjoram, and fried in lard. Potato pancakes in general are commonly associated with Czech, German, Yiddish, Ukrainian, Hungarian and Polish cuisine. In Germany and Austria they are commonly called Kartoffelpuffer. In Bavaria and Austria they are also called Reiberdatschi, Erdapfelpuffer, Reibekuchen, Reibepltzchen. In Yiddish they are called latkes. In Czech, they are either called bramborák, kramflek, křápanec, prskanec, škrample or vošouch.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs potatoes
• 4 clove garlic
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• lard or vegetable oil for frying
• marjoram, salt, pepper

Preparation:

1. Peel and grate potatoes. Chop the onion and garlic. Add milk, eggs, flour. Season with salt, pepper and marjoram. The goal is to have a batter of the right consistency, which is not too thick but not watery either.
2. Heat lard and oil in a large frying pan. Ladle pancake batter into the pan and fry on one side until moderately golden-brown. Turn and fry the other side until moderately golden-brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm on a covered platter until ready to serve.
3. YIELD: serves 4.

• Sauerkraut and smoked bacon can be added to the mixture (Kaplick Cmunda in southern Czech Republic).
• The mixture can be used as coating for a pork schnitzel (Vilkovy Tlapky from the Dejvick Sokolovna pub in Prague).
• Apple sauce or apple compote can be used as garnish (Kartoffelpuffer in Germany).
• Grated zucchini can be subsituted for part of the potatoes, rosemary and nutmeg added to the seasonings (Kartoffel-Zucchini Puffer in Austria, or cuketk in Czech)

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Last updated: October 30, 2009