Pan-fried potato cakes

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you fry potato cakes in a skillet? First, boil the potatoes. How do you boil potatoes? Wash and peel them and cut them into small pieces so they cook faster. Put the potatoes in a pot and cover them with cold water so it just barely covers them. Set the pot over the heat.

2. Step 2:

   

   When the water boils, lower the heat to medium, add a little salt, and cook the potatoes for about half an hour, until fully done. The time depends on the potato variety and the size of the pieces. Check with the tip of a knife or a fork — it should slide in easily. Drain the cooking water into a separate container; don't throw it out just yet.

3. Step 3:

   

   Mash the potatoes by hand, adding a little of the cooking water if needed. Add the pat of butter and stir. The mash should be pliable and soft — not dry and not too loose; it took me about half the cooking water. Let the mash cool a little, taste it for salt, add more if needed, and add a little ground black pepper.

4. Step 4:

   

   Crack the egg into the mash, stir, add the wheat flour, and stir again. Always wash eggs before using them, since even a seemingly clean shell can harbor harmful bacteria. It's best to use a food-safe wash and a brush.

5. Step 5:

   

   You should get a sticky, firm dough.

6. Step 6:

   

   Put some wheat flour on a plate. Scoop up the potato dough with a tablespoon, drop it into the flour on the plate, roll it in flour on all sides, and shape it into cakes. At this same stage, you can put any filling inside.

7. Step 7:

   

   Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Put the shaped cakes into the hot oil and hold them over high heat for a couple of minutes. Then lower the heat to medium and fry the cakes for another couple of minutes, until golden. Then flip them and fry the other side until golden too.

8. Step 8:

   

   Cover the skillet and keep the cakes in it for about 5 more minutes so they cook through inside. Move the finished cakes to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Then transfer them to another plate and serve. They're very tasty warm with sour cream and fresh herbs. Enjoy!