Best Potatonik Recipes

POTATONIK OR POTATO NIK EITHER WAY, IT'S DIVINE!

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast, water and sugar in a small bowl. Let rest 10 minutes (until foamy).
• Grate potatoes and onion by hand or in a food processor.
• In a large bowl, blend eggs, 2 tablespoons of oil, salt and pepper. Stir in the grated potato and onion mixture. Add flour and dissolved yeast, mix well (mixture will be thick). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free area for about 1 hour.
• Pour oil into a 9" x 12" pan about 1/4" deep. Pour in the batter (the oil will come up and over the batter - This is good). Let the batter rest for about 20 minutes. Then preheat your oven to 375°F.
• Bake potatonik on middle rack for 45 minutes. Brush or dip a paper towel into some more oil and brush/pat the top of the potatonik with the oil and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and crusty. Serve hot.
• Note: potatonik can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for 1-2 weeks. Reheat at 325° until warm, or develops a hard crust.

POTATONIK (YEASTED POTATO KUGEL)

Steps:

• Sponge: In a medium bowl sprinkle the yeast over the warm water; stir to dissolve. Add the flour and mix until smooth. Cover and set aside until it puffs up (20 to 25 minutes).
• Dough: Stir down the Sponge. Scrub the potatoes, then grind or grate them with the skins on or process in a food processor into a coarse chop; do not puree. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the ground potatoes and onion to the Sponge and stir until blended. Add the stale roll, flour, salt, baking powder, and ground pepper; mix or pulse only until incorporated. Add the oil and egg and mix well. Drop the mixture out into 3 well-greased 8- or 9-inch loaf pans. Each loaf should weigh about 15 ounces. Leave room for expansion - the potatonik will rise in the oven.
• Baking: Bake with steam (see below) in a preheated 360 F oven until the crust is brown and feels firm when gently pressed in the center with your fingertips (about 1 hour). Let cool on a wire rack covered with a cloth for 5 minutes to allow the loaves to steam. Invert and tap out onto the rack. Serve warm. DO AHEAD: Potatonik can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for 1 to 2 weeks. Reheat at 325 F until warm. When reheating, I like to bake it for 35 to 45 minutes to develop a hard crust.
• Steam in Baking: Place an empty roasting pan or other heavy pan on the floor of the oven 5 to 10 minutes before baking, so it gets hot. Brush the tops of the loaves with water, place in the oven and carefully toss 6 to 8 ice cubes into the hot pan, or pour in 1 cup boiling water and immediately close the oven door. CAUTION: When using boiling water, wear a glove and keep your face away from the open oven door, since there will be a burst of live steam when the boiling water hits the hot pan. Do not open the door to peek or the steam will escape.

POTATONIK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F and heat 1 Tbs oil in a pan (9" square or equivalent) in the oven while you are preparing the batter.
• Grate potatoes.
• Mix the salt, 1 Tbs oil and matzo meal and add to the potatoes.
• Add the beaten egg yolks and mix well.
• Then add the egg whites which have been well beaten (but not to"peak stage".) Mix everything well.
• Remove the pan from the oven VERY carefully (the oil will be HOT) and pour the batter in gently.
• Bake about 45 minutes, until a tester (toothpick) indicates it is set.
• Cut in wedges.
• It is equally delicious served warm or, equally wonderful, served cold if any is left over.
• Calorie conscious tip: I rinse the grated potatoes through a colander with tap water to get rid of excess starch.
• Be sure to drain well.