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Golden pan-fried potato patties served beside braised sauerkraut with speck, plated on a rustic wooden board

Pan-Fried Kartoffelblattln con Crauti (South Tyrol)

Butter-fried potato patties from South Tyrol served with sauerkraut braised with speck, onion, and caraway.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Alpine
Calories: 314
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Kartoffelblattln
  • 800 g potatoes, boiled and chilled overnight starchy variety, peeled
  • 150 g all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 pinch nutmeg freshly grated
  • 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • 40 g butter for frying
For the crauti
  • 80 g speck diced small, or thick-cut bacon
  • 1 onion medium; finely chopped
  • 500 g sauerkraut drained
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 100 ml dry white wine or vegetable broth
  • 15 g butter
  • black pepper to taste

Method
 

Make the potato dough
  1. Peel the cold, boiled potatoes and grate them on the coarse side of a box grater, or pass them through a ricer, into a large bowl.
  2. Add the flour, egg, nutmeg, and salt. Mix gently with your hands until the dough just comes together and no longer feels wet. Don't overwork it or the patties turn dense.
  3. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Flatten each into a disc about 8 cm wide and 1 cm thick, dusting lightly with flour so they don't stick to your hands.
Fry the Blattln
  1. Melt half the butter in a 26 cm / 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until it foams.
  2. Fry the patties in two batches so they aren't touching, 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deep golden and a crust has formed. Add the remaining butter for the second batch.
  3. Transfer the fried patties to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm while you finish the crauti.
Braise the crauti
  1. In a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan, cook the speck over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the fat renders and the edges crisp.
  2. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
  3. Stir in the sauerkraut, caraway seeds, and bay leaf. Pour in the wine, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sauerkraut is tender and the liquid has mostly cooked off.
  4. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the remaining butter, and season with black pepper.
  5. Plate the patties with the crauti spooned alongside. Drizzle any browned butter left in the skillet over the top before serving.

Notes

  • Boil potatoes the day before for the best dough texture.
  • Don't crowd the skillet, fry patties in batches for a proper crust.
  • Drain sauerkraut well before braising to avoid a watery pan.
  • Remove the bay leaf before serving the crauti.