In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg, flour, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Peel, wash, and finely grate potatoes and onion using a food processor fitted with a grating disc or use the small holes on a box grater. Wring out the liquid using paper or kitchen towel. Gently fold the potatoes mixture into the bowl with the egg to combine.
In a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. For each pancake, drop two tablespoons of the potato mixture into the skillet, flattening each mound with a spatula. Fry about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crisp.
Remove pancakes with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels until oil is absorbed. Keep warm in the oven while finishing frying the rest of the batter. Repeat frying the cakes, adding more oil if needed, until the mixture is used up.
Serve immediately with cinnamon applesauce or sour cream.
Notes
Use only starchy potatoes like Russet or Idaho as they are low in moisture and ideal for frying. Don't substitute with waxy potatoes like red or yellow, although Yukon Gold is somewhere in between.
To speed up the process, grate potatoes using a food processor. I prefer them finely grated, but you can shred them with a box grater. If your food processor doesn't have a grating disc, chop the potatoes and onion and process for about 2 minutes until no lumps remain.
Some recipes suggest parboiling shredded potatoes, but there is no need for that. Even raw, they will cook completely.
To make sure they don't fall apart, remove as much moisture as possible from the grated potatoes and onions. You can use a kitchen towel and twist to squeeze or use paper towels. Make sure they're not too dry either, or they'll taste like cardboard.
If the batter has drawn too much water, you can add more flour or oatmeal to bind the liquid.
You don't need to rinse them after grating; the precious starch will also help them stick together.
Don't let the batter sit too long. Fry instantly and stir the mix between each batch.
To get the pancakes crispy, place a thin layer into the hot oil (cakes should sizzle), press to flatten, and then leave it alone until a brown crust forms around the edges; flip and cook until crisp.
Remove stray pieces of potatoes floating in oil and burning and add more oil, if necessary, between your batches.
You might want to use paper towels to wipe out the skillet between batches if necessary.
Keep your fried cakes warm in the oven at 275 F until all batter is used up.
Don’t cover them while warm because the steam will soften them, and they will no longer be crispy.
Best served immediately.
Store themin the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to two months.
Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.