Photo courtesy of Kami Stafford. pipersdreamweaver.com

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This is a family recipe. It originated from a region that has over time been a part of Germany and Poland, currently on the eastern boarder of Germany. That is the origin of my matriarchal lineage, and the family appears to have been Jewish before about 150 years ago. Thus, it is a Jewish recipe. It is considered Parve by Jews, and is "Kosher for Passover". It is ovo-vegetarian. It is dairy, wheat, sugar, and legume free depending on what you wish to add, use in preparation, or how you wish to serve.

Guna - Tamas

Ingredients

For each serving as main course:

• 1 large egg
• 1 lb potatoes
• 1/4 tsp garlic, to taste
• 2 tbs finely grated onion, to taste
• 1/8 tsp baking soda (optional)
• 1-2 tbs flour or corn starch (optional)
• 2-3 tbs flax seet meal (optional)
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste [1]
• Cooking oil (Safflower, corn, or soy)

Multiply this ingredient list by the number of servings you wish to prepare. I always make enough for leftovers. They refrigerate, freeze, and reheat EXTREMELY well.

• Peel and grate the potatoes. You can grate them using a manual grater or a food processor. You may use either the course or fine face of the grater. They come out differently with that change, and the preference seems to alternate between generations in my family. Thus, suit yourself.
• Once the potatoes are peeled remove the water. There are two methods to do this.
  • Traditional Method
    • Add 1-2 tsp salt for each lb of potatoes.
    • Leave set for 10-15 minutes. Return and spoon all of the liquid off of the potatoes, discarding the liquid.
  • Modern Method
    • Have 2 bowls of sufficient size to hold the potatoes. Grate them into one bowl. Wash hands thoroughly. Pick up as many grated potatoes as you can hold in each hand over the sink.
    • Squeeze tightly, squeezing out all of the water you can from the potatoes. Put these drained potatoes in the other bowl, handsful at a time.
    • Add salt to taste
• Grate ~2 tbs onion, or to taste, and add to the potatoes.
• Add ~1/4 tsp garlic, or to taste.
  Add baking soda, if desired.
• Add in 1-2 large eggs, beaten.

If making more than 4 servings, it's usually good to add in an extra egg.
Stir well.

Cooking

• Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.
• When hot, drop potato mixture large spoonful or small measuring cupful at a time into the skillet.
• Watch carefully for burning, and adjust heat accordingly.
• When brown on the first side, turn.
• Brown on second side.
• Remove to plate lined with paper towels to drain oil.

If the batter gets too "liquid" during preparation, you may add flour (white, wheat, or rice), starch (corn or potato), or flax to thicken.

Your household may have congregated in the kitchen, and may wish to eat these immediately. If they don't, you may put these in a warm oven to keep the early ones hot until they are all cooked.

Serving

Once cooked, keep warm until ready to serve. These may be served plain, or with sour cream, apple sauce, or sausages. Package and refrigerate or freeze any leftovers. As said above, these freeze and reheat conventionally or microwave extremely well.