Four big russet potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated One little onion, ground. two huge eggs
One-fourth cup all-purpose flour Taste salt and pepper at will. For frying, vegetable oil
One pound ground beef, or shredded beef roast Two teaspoons of butter Two tablespoons general all-purpose flour One teaspoon garlic powder; two cups beef broth
1 teaspoon of onion powder ½ teaspoon thyme powder Taste salt and pepper at will. For optional garnish, chopped fresh parsley
I begin by shredding the potatoes then, using a fresh kitchen towel, squeezing out as much moisture as I can. Achieving crispy pancakes requires this stage most importantly.
I toss in a big bowl the grated potatoes, grated onion, eggs, flour, salt, and pepper. I stir everything until it's nicely blended.
In a skillet set over medium heat, I warm a couple teaspoons of vegetable oil. I ladle the potato mixture—about ¼ cup per pancake—into the hot oil and gently flatten.
Each pancake cooks for three to four minutes on one side until crispy and golden brown. Once completed, I drain them on paper towels.
I brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat as the pancakes fry, thereby breaking it up as it cooks. Using shredded beef roast leftovers, I just reheat them in a skillet with a small touch of butter.
To make a roux, melt the butter on the same skillet and whisk in the flour. I then gradually pour the beef broth in and stir constantly until smooth. I season with thyme, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders. Once the gravy thickens, let it simmer for three to four minutes; then, whisk in the beef.
I set the crispy potato pancakes on a platter and liberally cover top with gravy and meat. For freshness and color, I prefer to end with a scattering of chopped parsley.