German Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer) with Applesauce
Crispy and golden German potato pancakes made with grated potatoes and onion, served traditionally with sweet applesauce.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Apfelmus (Apple Sauce)
- 550 g Apples about 4 apples, peeled and chopped
- ½ Vanilla Pod split and seeds scraped out
- 3 tbsp Water (45 ml / 1.5 oz)
- 2 tbsp Sugar (25g / 0.9oz, to taste)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice (15 ml / 0.5 oz)
Ingredients for the Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)
- 1 kg Potatoes about 6 medium potatoes
- 200 g Onion 1 large onion
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1½ tsp Salt
- Pepper to taste
- 125 ml Sunflower Oil (3.5 oz) for frying
Instructions
Instructions for Apple Sauce
- Place the chopped apples, vanilla pod, seeds, and water in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes until the apples are soft.
- Remove the vanilla pod.
- Blend the apples until smooth, then stir in lemon juice and sugar to taste.
- Let it cool and refrigerate before serving.
Instructions for Potato Pancakes
- Peel and grate the potatoes and onion using the coarse side of a box grater.
- Place the mixture in a sieve set over a large bowl. Using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid as possible and put the grated potato in another bowl.
- Let the liquid sit for a few minutes, then pour off the watery part and add the remaining starch back to the potatoes.
- Mix in the cornstarch, eggs, salt, and pepper until combined. Return the mixture to the sieve to allow any remaining excess liquid to drain away while cooking.
- Heat a generous amount of sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
- Spoon in portions of the mixture and flatten them carefully.
- Fry each pancake for about 6-8 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through.
- Place the finished pancakes on paper towels to absorb excess oil on both sides. Serve warm with apple sauce.
Notes
Note: Even after squeezing out the liquid from the grated potatoes, they continue to release moisture as they sit. Keep draining them as needed to prevent soggy pancakes.