Polish placki v latkes (potato pancakes)

Like many people I love potato pancakes. But only redcentyl was I introduced to the Jewish version, latkes. They differ in that the potatoes are grated a bit more coarsely (on the coarse side of a hand-held grater).They are less mushy and come out a bit like a cross between Polish placki kartoflane and American hash browns. Try 'em and see if you don't agree.

BTW how do you like your placki: just salted, salt & sour cream (my choice), sugar, sugar & soyr cream, other (apple sauce)? Or the Hungarian way as a base for goulash?

with plenty of chanterelles and yummy creamy sauce

I once had a Polish potato dish called 'pyzy', I believe. The tasted like real potato pancakes and were just delicious!-)))

I'm on the mushroom sauce boat.

My mother always made potato pancakes very thin, and we sprinkled a light dusting of sugar and had them with apple sauce on the side, or sour cream. I would also love them with mushroom sauce.

When I lived in NYC, I sometimes ate a Jewish potato dish that was called Knish. It was very different than a potato pancake.

I'm from Poland, and my (non- Jewish) mother was always making them just like the Jewish version you described. My family would put sour cream, or sugar on them.

My husband who is from Germany likes to eat them with apple sauce, and he says that's how they are eaten where he comes from.

I like them just plan. BTW, it's a good lunch idea for today. Thank for reminding me about them.

Pyzy are round and boiled, not fried.

But some people refry pre-boiled pyzy and kopytka, so maybe that's why he had the impression it was something fried. I also prefer refried thigns including pierogi.

Thanks for enlightening me.

))))

Do you think Knish has anything to do with Poznanian 'knysze'?

Could be, Ksysia. It might also be a take off on the French 'Knishe Lorraine', the well-known cheese and spinach pastry pie dish. Then again, I forget if it's 'quiche' or 'knishe' Lorraine.

Only knishe if the speaker has a speech impediment.
:-)

I am good with either sour cream or ketchup on my placki.

still love the Canadian humour ;)

Glad to be of service ;-)

That would be my choice. I make them often like this. Jewish latkes have too much onion and if they come from the store, they taste like mud.

Now you have me wondering what about the origin of the word Knish. They are sold all around NYC. First information I found is that it is a Yiddish word taken from the Ukrainian word, knysh.

From the pictures online of Poznanian knysze, I'd say they look very similar. The knish I know is mainly potato, but it can be stuffed with anything, really.

Culinary definition: whatscookingamerica.net/Glossary/K.htm

knish - The knish is a pastry of Jewish origin consisting of a piece of dough that encloses a filling of seasoned mashed potatoes. Basically they are a mashed potato pie. When sold by the street corner vendors in New York City, they are fried and square shaped. The baked ones are usually round shaped, and are usually made at home and some knish bakeries.

History: Eastern European Jews developed the knish. During the early 1900s, when hundreds of thousands of Eastern European Jews Emigrated to America and settled in New York City, they brought with them their family recipes for knishes. Knishes were made at home until Yonah Schimmel, a rabbi from Romania, began to sell them at Coney Island in New York City, and also from a pushcart on the Lower East Side. In 1910, he opened his original knish bakery located on East Houston Street.

So there you have, the rest of the story. :-)

They come from Middle High German, both words 'quiche' and 'knish'.

Wow....then this particular type of cuisine sure spread all over Europe. Interesting. I think the quiche form though developed in a way that emphasized cheese and egg as the base whereas the knish emphasizes the potato base along with possibly cheese, spinach, etc.

Meanwhile, back to potato pancakes.....

With ketchup, some pepper and hot sauce...They also good with Jamaican 'Pic-a-peppa' sauce, or an HP/Heinz 57 type sauce...I can eat them just with a vegetable, like green beans or broccoli, maybe a salad, and they make a meal.

My mother's German potato pancakes start out with a medium shredding, then drain the water, leaving the starch in the bowl. Remix shredded potato with starch and add only minced onion and 1 egg. Salt, pepper - - proceed as usual! Always turned out crispy, golden!

Hungarian style, with goulash and cheese and some sour cream on the side

I love them as a savoury dish with goulash or for desert with vanilla sugar sprinkled on top.