Potato Pancakes With Meat Filling – Картофельные Блины с Мясом / Драники

I confess. Potato pancakes are my weakness. No matter how many different types of food that I cook and love, potato pancakes still remain my favorite. My Mom would make these on Saturday mornings, and I can still picture her standing next to the stove, making batch after batch as we all sat around the kitchen table, smacking our lips as we forked down the golden and crispy potato cakes. Some of us had them with sour cream, others with just a bit of butter. I can never decide which I prefer, usually indulging in both. You can make the potato pancakes without the meat (you’ll have double the amount of pancakes), and that’s what I usually do, but adding meat will ensure a hearty meal with protein. (Besides, my husband likes to have meat with every meal, so I kind of have to if I make these if I’m serving them for dinner. He claims that if there is no meat, he will be hungry again in half and hour.) These are definitely worth any of the effort that goes into making these.

Serves: 14-16 pancakes

Ingredients

Potato Pancakes:

• 2½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6 large)
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 1 small onion or half of a large onion
• ¾ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Meat Filling:

• ½ lb ground pork, or any other ground meat that you like
• 1 very small onion
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons water

Instructions

Grate the potatoes on the finest grater or puree in a food processor.
Using a sieve, drain grated potatoes separating the liquid from the starch. Discard the liquid.
Add the grated potatoes to the bowl with the starch.
Grate the onion on the finest grater also.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
Meanwhile, mix the meat filling ingredients together and set aside.
Heat about 1 Tablespoon of oil in a non stick skillet over medium heat.
Using a large spoon, portion out four pancakes.
Shape 1-2 Tablespoons of meat filling into a patty and place on top of the pancake.
Cover the meat with more potato mixture.
Cook until golden on both sides.

Source:

http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/appetizers/potato-pancakes-with-meat-filling/