Deruny (Potato Pancakes)
Potato pancakes or deruny are one of the most beloved meat-free dishes in Ukraine.
They have been popular throughout history and saved many lives during the Ukrainian Terror Famine in 1932-33. Back then, people would make deruny using anything they could get hold of–linden leaves, sorrel leaves, left over nuts and grains.
Fortunately, everyone can enjoy the yummy potato-based version nowadays.
Crunchy and filling, deruny are very easy to make, even if you’re a kitchen newbie.
You do need some patience for grating the large amount of potato if you’re planning deruny as a family lunch. Oh, and don’t forget to use gloves to make sure your fingertips don’t get grated along with the slippery potatoes.
Deruny are eaten with sour cream and traditionally served on top of each other in a clay pot.
Deruny (Potato Pancakes)
Ingredients
- 1 lb potatoes
- 2 onions
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
How to Make Deruny (Potato Pancakes):
- Peel the potatoes and grate them on a fine grater.
- Finely chop the onion and add it to the potatoes. Mix them well. The onion juice will keep the potatoes from going brown.
- Add the flour, egg, and sour cream and mix well.
- Then add 1 tsp of salt and a pinch of black pepper. The batter should be liquid enough to be ladled easily.
- Pour some sunflower oil into a frying pan and heat well.
- Using a spoon, form small, flat rounds of potato mixture and fry them like regular pancakes. When the pancakes are brownish on one side, turn them and repeat the procedure.
- Serve deruny while hot with a dollop of sour cream.
