DRANIKI: BELARUSIAN SAUSAGE STUFFED POTATO PANCAKES

Ingredients

Batter

• 2 large russet potatoes, washed and peeled
• ½ medium-sized yellow onion
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup full-fat or reduced fat milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Filling

• 1 sausage, removed from casing
• ½ medium-sized yellow onion, minced and diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

How to Make

Stage 1 - Prepare Your Draniki Filling

1. First, remove your sausage meat from its casing. You can do this by using a paring knife to cut through the casing and make an incision lengthwise. Then place the sausage meat into a mixing bowl
2. Add your minced onions, minced garlic and dried dill to the mixing bowl with your sausage meat. Mix well, adding your salt and pepper as you mix it through
3. Take a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add your olive oil. Once heated, add your mixed filling and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until you feel the sausage meat has been thoroughly cooked through

Stage 2 - Create Draniki Batter

1. Place a grater over a large mixing bowl
2. Take one of your peeled russet potatoes and begin to grate it into the bowl. Occasionally alternate grating your onion in between potatoes, since the onion will help prevent your potato pancakes from discoloring. Also, the smaller the grate sized, the better and easier it is to cook
3. Crack your egg into the bowl of potatoes and onions and mix through with your hands. Mix as thoroughly as you can. The batter will be slightly wet and mushy at this point
4. Next, periodically add your flour into the batter while continuing to mix it through the batter. The batter will begin to thicken, and soon you'll be ready to make some potato pancakes!

Stage 3 - Fry your Draniki

1. To make your potato pancakes, take wide shallow pan over medium-high heat and, as it heats, add some oil (we used olive here)
2. When the oil is nice and hot (but not smoking!), add a spoonful of your draniki batter and flatten as best you can. Repeat to fit as many potato pancakes in the pan as you can
3. Let it fry for 1 minute so that the batter can set, then take up to 1 teaspoon of your filling and place in the middle of each of your draniki
4. With your filling placed in the middle, take another spoonful of batter, place on top of the filling, and spread evenly
5. Let your draniki fry for another 1 minute (as it becomes golden brown), then flip each of your potato pancakes
6. Cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side, then remove from the pan and onto a plate lined with a paper towel
7. Repeat until all your potato pancakes are made, then enjoy!