POTATO PANCAKES WITH CHUNKY GRANNY SMITH APPLESAUCE AND CINNAMON CREME FRAICHE

Potato Pancakes with Chunky Granny Smith Applesauce and Cinnamon Creme Fraiche image

Provided by Bobby Flay

Time 1h20m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 small onion, peeled
1 large baking potato (about 1 pound), peeled
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Pinch baking powder
Canola oil, for frying
Chunky Granny Smith Applesauce, recipe follows
Cinnamon Creme Fraiche, recipe follows
3 to 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (depending on how sweet or tart you want it)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into large dice
1 cup creme fraiche
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps:

On a box grater, coarsely shred the onion and potato. Transfer to a colander or wrap in a cheesecloth sling, and squeeze as dry as possible. Let stand for 2 minutes, then squeeze dry again. Put the potatoes in a large bowl, add the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder and egg, and gently fold to combine.
In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Drop heaping tablespoons of the potatoes into the skillet and flatten them with the back of the spoon. Cook the pancakes over moderately high heat until the edges are golden, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook until golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.
Serve the potato pancakes topped with Chunky Granny Smith Applesauce and a small dollop of Cinnamon Creme Fraiche.
Cook's Note: Reheat the pancakes in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven until they're crisp again. If you undercooked them a bit or didn't get the browning on them you'd hoped for, you can compensate for this in the oven.
To a large pot, combine 1 cup water, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, and apples. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if desired. Coarsely mash to a chunky consistency. Let cool to room temperature.;
Whisk together creme fraiche and cinnamon, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.;