Matafan-Fluffy Mashed Potato Pancakes
Matafan-Fluffy Mashed Potato Pancakes are from the region Pays de Savoie in France. They come together really easily with leftover mashed potatoes. A cross between a pancake and blin, these pancakes are light as a feather and delicious with a side salad.
Ingredients
- Kosher or coarse salt for baking the potatoes
- 2 large Idaho russet potatoes (1½ pounds total), scrubbed and dried
- 4 large eggs; 2 separated
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup hot whole milk I used coconut milk (keeping it dairy free)
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Butter for cooking the pancakes (you could use your favorite margarine to keep it dairy free or also coconut oil)
Instructions
- If you don’t have leftover mashed potatoes (I did it with 2 cups of leftover), roast your potatoes.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with kosher salt in the area you’ll place the potatoes (not the whole baking sheet). Place the potatoes on top of the salt.
- Bake the potatoes for about 1.5 hours. Remove the potatoes and let them cool until you can handle them on a rack. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the potato flesh.
- If you have a potato ricer, run it through the ricer into a bowl (or a strainer).
- Using a wooden spoon, beat in 2 whole eggs and 2 whole egg yolks (one at a time).
- Stir in 1/4 cup of the flour. Next, stir in all the warm milk. Finally, stir in the other 1/4 cup of the flour.
- Season the potato batter with salt and pepper (to your taste); set aside.
- Beat the 2 egg whites with a pinch of salt. The best way is with an electric mixer, but you could also do by hand. The egg whites should be firm with glossy peaks.
- Gently begin to stir in a little bit of the egg whites into the potato batter. Continue on gently folding in the rest of egg whites into the potato batter. Cover batter until ready to use and keep in the fridge.
- When ready to cook the potato pancakes, place large skillet on medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons butter (or margarine if dairy-free, or coconut oil). When it is heated up, add 1/4 cup batter portions to the hot skillet.
- If making blini size portions, add 2 tablespoons batter.
- Use a spatula to smooth around the top of the batter and make sure they are nice and round. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sides are firm enough, and it will start to bubble.
- Flip over the cakes and continue cooking until it is is nicely browned on the bottom.
- Transfer the potato pancakes as they are ready to a serving plate and cover loosely with foil paper to keep them warm. Continue on with the rest of the batter. You could could cook a few at time depending on large your pan is and how big you make the pancakes.
- You could also keep them warm on a foil lined baking sheet in a warm oven (about 200F).
- Serve with salad.