Kartoffelpluffer, Bratkartoffein,Kartoffelknödel
Kartoffelpuffer, Klosse and Bratkartoffeln these are also an Austrian favorite.
Kartoffelpuffer .......are shallow pan-fried pancakes made from grated or ground potatoes mixed with flour, egg, onion and seasoning. You can enjoy them either salty as a side dish to a main course of meat or fish, or sweet with apple sauce, blueberries, sugar and cinnamon. Look out for them in outdoor markets in the winter.
Ingredients:
2 lbs of Potatoes/p>
1 Large Onion
2 Eggs
4 Tbsp of Flour
1 tsp Salt
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions:
Peel Potatoes Finely grate Potatoes and Onion together Squeeze excess moisture from grated mixture Lightly beat Eggs Mix Egg, Flour, and Salt into grated mixture Heat 3-4 Tbsp of Oil or Fat to med-high heat Spoon 1/4 Cup of mixture into skillet and press flat with fork Fry until edges are dark brown then flip Fry additional 2-3 minutes Place fried Kartoffelpuffer on paper towels to drain excess oil Serve as side dish or alone with Apple Sauce or Berry or Fruit Compote.
German potato dumplings (Kartoffelknödel or Kartoffel Klösse)...... are also a common staple in dishes, served either as a side or main dish, in soups or sweet. You may see dumplings on menus called Klösse (or Klöße, said 'kla-sa') in west and north Germany and Knödel (said 'ka-na-del') in south-east Germany, or sometimes filled with fruits or meats.
Ingredients:
3/4-1 kg / 1.6-2.2 lbs potatoes (Russet) 100-150 g / 3.5-5.2 oz flour (as needed) salt, pinch of nutmeg (optional) 1 small egg (2nd egg if needed)
Preparation
Scrub or wash potatoes and boil in salty water in their skins until fork tender. Peel potatoes and press through the potato ricer while still hot. Let cool. Place riced potatoes in a bowl and sprinkle 2/3 of the flour, salt on top, add the whisked egg and stir loosely with a fork. Knead the dough quickly with your hands, add the remaining flour if necessary (if dough still appears too dry after adding all the flour add the other egg then). Dough should be not too mushy but not too firm either. Make mandarin size dumplings with your hands. Bring water to a boil (covered) in a large and wide pot. Season with salt. Dumplings need space to float in the pot that is why you need a wide pot rather than a tall pot. Remove lid, place dumplings inside, the water should not boil to harshly, just gently. Simmer Knödel for approx. 5-10 minutes until they start floating to the top. Remove one with a slotted spoon and cut in half to check if done.
Additional Ingredients for filled Knödel:
for savoury ....add either bread crumbs, cooked minced meat (ie leftover (cooked) spaghetti or chilli sauce make a dent in the potato ball add your bread crumbs or sauce close up again to make a ball then continue as above.....Bring water to a boil etc.,
for sweet knodels 1 kg / 2 lbs plums or apricots cubed sugar butter 150 g / 5.2 oz bread crumbs brown or regular sugar cinnamon (optional)
Prepare dough same as above. Roll dough into a long thick 2x2 in. 'snail' instead of rolling dough into balls. Cut thin 1/2 in. slices, put half plum or half apricot between two slices and one cube of sugar then roll into a ball. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Melt butter in a skillet, roast the breadcrumbs until golden, remove the Knödel from the water with a slotted spoon, drain and roll in the melted butter, place on plate and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon (optional).
Bratkartoffein.....Another common German side dish made of potatoes is bratkartoffeln, sometimes referred to as Germany's answer to fries. It's a basic but tasty recipe that involves boiling potatoes and then frying them with bacon and onion.
Ingredients
5 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 pieces bacon chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste paprika, to taste
Instructions 1. Chop potatoes and place in a bowl with water to prevent browning.
2. Cook 6 pieces of bacon in a skillet over medium high heat. Move the bacon to a plate and reserve the bacon fat.
3. Add chopped onion to bacon fat in the skillet and saute until onion is translucent. Using slotted spoon move cooked onion to the plate with the bacon.
4. Place part of the peeled and chopped potatoes in a a single layer in the skillet. Season them with salt, pepper and paprika and cover pan with a lid. Cook on medium heat for about 25 minutes until potatoes are tender, flipping them halfway through.
5. Repeat with remaining potatoes and each time add 1 Tbsp of olive oil or fat of your choice if needed.
6. Place the pan fried potatoes in a dish and stir in the caramelized onions and bacon. Season with salt, pepper and paprika if needed and serve warm