Pancakes: Potato Cakes - Help!
Subject: Potato Cakes - Help!
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Chloie Parsons (parsonsc at ucs.orst.edu)
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 10:03:48 -0700
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I tried to make potato cakes last night and they were ok, but not nearly as good as dad's. I took some left over mashed potatoes, made them into patties and fried them in a little oil. They were best towards the center, but the outer edges turned thin and crispy. Dad's potato cakes were never thin and crispy on the edges. Instead, they were golden and of an even thickness. Does anyone know how to fix this problem? Oh, I used red potatos mashed with milk and butter for the mashed potatoes. Perhaps the way I make mashed potatoes is the problem, he made his with water. Hmmmmm.
From: jrg14 at cornell.edu ( Jan )
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 13:53:09 -0400
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My mom always mixed in an egg, then coated the cakes in flour before frying them in butter or she probably used bacon grease.
From: Nancy Young (qwerty5 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 16:05:44 -0400
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I'm astounded. I came this close to asking why it was that when I made something I was sure my mother made up, it only came out crispy around the edges and was mushy in the middle!
Leftover mashed potatoes made into little pancakes and fried.
I had trouble getting them to brown; I figured because I was using a nonstick pan.
I can't help you but I'm amazed you made something I haven't tried to make ever ... haven't had them since I was little.
From: Donovan Ready (dready at jumpnet.com)
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 15:34:56 -0500
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Maybe mixing an egg into the potatoes before the patty stage?
From: Liam (saiga at sherlockholmes.org)
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 00:20:31 -0700
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Yesh! An egg is absolutely vital for making mashed potato patties!
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: Potato Cakes - Help!
From: nancy-dooley at uiowa.edu (Nancy Dooley)
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 13:01:19 GMT
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Mix an egg into the mashed potatoes - I use one egg for the equivalent of 4 potato cakes. I also add a couple T. of flour, some garlic, some parsley flakes, some finely chopped onion, and whatever else happens to trip my trigger. These will make even-thickness cakes.
From: dyork (dyork at tarheel.net)
Date: 16 Oct 1997 13:52:58 GMT
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Sounds like you're doing it right to me, but I also put onions, eggs and flour.
It gives it a little different taste!
Donna
From: SNRCRAN at UMSLVMA.UMSL.EDU (Renee)
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 97 14:26:51 CDT
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Chloie,
Next time try adding some flour to the potatoes before you fry them. Also, the milk and butter shouldn't be a problem, that is how I always make them.
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: potato cakes
From: Shirley J. Davenport (sdavenpo at hsc.usc.edu)
Date: 21 Oct 1997 16:10:08 -0700
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I have been making potato cakes for years for my family - as did my mother before me. Take your left over mashed potatoes - add sooooo much flour (for thickening) some chopped onions and some milk. I have never measured any of this - make into patties and fry in oil in skillet. I use a big iron one and the kids have always been able to eat them as fast I can fry them
From: nancy-dooley at uiowa.edu (Nancy Dooley)
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 15:38:49 GMT
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Use an egg instead of the milk - way good.
From: lindah at nconline.com (Linda Hendren)
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 02:29:01 GMT
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Also good with a little green pepper added.
From: seesa2 at aol.com (Seesa 2)
Date: 23 Oct 1997 06:42:13 GMT
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for potato cakes, I add bread crumbs to the mashed taters instead of flour, add egg instead of milk .. Onion, green pepper and green onion go good.. also some garlic either fresh or powder (I prefer powder because it mixes better throughout the cakes)