Best Crispy Potato Cake Recipes

CRISPY POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Clarify the butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer.
• Shut off the heat and allow it to sit a minute on the stove. The milk solids should start to sink to the bottom. Slowly pour the butter into a bowl, keeping as much of the white milky liquid as possible in the saucepan. Discard the milk solids. These are prone to burning and by clarifying the butter, the potato cake will be less likely to overbrown. Keep the butter warm on the stove.
• Prepare the potatoes: Using a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin 1/8-inch-thick slices. Transfer them to a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper, cover with all but 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and toss to coat.
• Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the bottom of an 8-inch nonstick skillet and swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides. Add the thyme and a pinch of salt. It will start to crackle a little. Cook until it is no longer crackling, about 5 minutes, then remove the thyme from the butter and let cool slightly, about 1 minute. Strip half of the thyme leaves from the stems into the bowl with the potatoes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Assemble: Remember that the bottom layer will be the top when you unmold this cake so it should be done with extra care. Beginning in the center of the skillet, layer the potatoes in an overlapping circle following the edge of the skillet. Continue with the remaining potatoes, switching the direction and adding some salt and add a few spoonfuls of the potato liquid in between each layer. Gently press down on the potatoes as you're layering to make sure they stick together and form a cake. Pour any remaining potato liquid on top.
• Cook: Place the skillet on high heat and cook until the water starts to release itself from the potatoes and you can see the edges browning, 10 to 12 minutes. Place the skillet on a baking sheet, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully pour off any excess butter from the skillet into a bowl; save. Carefully line the hot baking sheet with parchment paper, then flip the skillet onto the sheet in one deft motion. Lift off the skillet and pour the reserved butter over the cake. Return the baking sheet to the oven to cook until the top of the cake is golden brown and crispy and the potatoes feel completely tender in the center when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes.
• Serve: Carefully transfer the cake to a cutting board, season with salt and cut into wedges like a pie. Serve with roe or creme fraiche if desired.

CRISPY POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• In a nonstick 10-inch saute pan, heat the vegetable oil and butter over medium heat. Press grated potato into pan. Season with salt and pepper. Let cook undisturbed until crisp on bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Gently flip onto a plate and then slide other side into pan to cook. Salt and pepper second side. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes, until potato cake is cooked through and nicely browned. Cut into wedges, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

CRISPY POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Using a mandolin or food processor, julienne the potatoes. Toss with salt and pepper.
• In a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the potatoes and press with the back of a spatula to form an even layer. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the bottom is golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes, shaking the pan frequently so the potatoes don't stick and adding oil as needed.
• Flip the potato cake, add more oil if necessary and cook until the other side is golden brown. Cool the cake briefly on a wire rack and cut into 6 wedges.

CRISPY POTATO CAKE WITH GARLIC AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter cake pan; set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 4 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet. Once butter is melted, add potatoes; season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until beginning to soften, 6-8 minutes. Add duck fat and continue to cook potatoes, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden brown in spots, 15-20 minutes longer.
• Transfer potatoes to prepared cake pan, pressing down firmly and evenly (this will help potatoes hold together when you turn the potato cake out). Bake potatoes until crisp on top, 12-15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then invert potato cake onto a plate, season with salt and pepper, and top with parsley and reserved garlic.
• DO AHEAD: Potatoes can be sautéed and arranged in cake pan 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill; bake 10-15 minutes longer to warm through.

CRISPY POTATO CAKE WITH GARLIC AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter cake pan. Heat 2 tbls butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 4 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add remaining 2 tbls butter to skillet. Once butter is melted, add potatoes; season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until beginning to soften, 6 - 8 minutes. Add duck fat and continue to cook potatoes, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden brown in spots, 15 - 20 minutes longer. Transfer potatoes to prepared cake pan, pressing down firmly and evenly ( I used plastic spatula) (this will help the potatoes hold together when you turn the potato cake out). Bake potatoes until crisp on top 12 - 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then invert potato cake onto a plate, season with salt and pepper, and top with parsley and reserved garlic. DO AHEAD: Potatoes can be sautéed and arranged in cake pan 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill; bake 10 - 15 minutes longer to warm through.

CRISPY TWO-POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and grate on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer to a clean dish towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place the squeezed potatoes in a medium bowl and mix in the chopped thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and chipotle. Toss well to combine.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is very hot but not smoking. Add the potato mixture and press down firmly using a spatula. Cook until browned and crispy on the bottom, 8 to 9 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally so it does not stick. The cake should move around as one piece when the skillet is shaken. Slide the cake out of the skillet onto a plate and add the remaining oil to the skillet. Flip the cake onto a second plate and slide back into the skillet, crispy side up. Continue to cook until the bottom side of the cake is browned and crispy and the cake is cooked through, another 8 to 9 minutes, lowering the heat if the cake is browning too quickly.
• Slide onto a wire rack and cool until still warm but not hot. Cut into 6 wedges, lightly season with salt and fresh thyme leaves and serve.