Classic Potato Pancakes

“Batter should sigh, not scream.”

Whisk eggs until silky smooth.

Add salt + flour → stir 30 sec (overmixing = tough pancakes).

Fold in potato mixture → press gently (not stir—creates crust pockets).

Critical: Rest 10 mins (lets flavors marry = no watery separation). Bubbe’s rule: “Patience is the soul of the crunch.”

3. Fry with Precision (The Grand Finale)

“A sizzle is a promise—no sizzle is a sin.”

Heat cast iron skillet until smoking hot (not medium!).

Add lardy oil → swirl to coat.

Scoop ¼ cup batter → press down with spatula edge (not back—breaks crust).

Fry 3-5 mins/side until golden-brown (not pale—undercooked).

Flip once (not sooner—breaks crust). Bubbe’s rule: “Patience is the soul of the flip.”