Grated potatoes, sautéed minced meat, colorful bell pepper, fragrant herbs, and a golden layer of cheese create a hearty pancake that is prepared without frying individual potato cakes. Thanks to baking everything on one tray, the preparation is easy and takes about 20 minutes.
This giant potato pancake can be customized based on what you have in the fridge. You can substitute the minced meat with sausage, frankfurters, or ham, and add herbs or spicy seasoning to taste. Baking takes about 35–40 minutes in total, resulting in a juicy, crispy-on-the-outside pancake perfect for a family lunch or dinner.
What You Will Need
For the potato mixture:
- 1.5 kg potatoes, coarsely grated,
- 2 eggs,
- 4 tablespoons oats, pre-soaked in a little water or milk,
- spring onion, chives or parsley,
- salt to taste,
- pepper to taste,
- ground paprika to taste,
- spicy seasoning to taste.
For the meat and vegetable mixture:
- 300 g minced meat or sausage, frankfurters, or ham,
- 1 medium onion,
- 1 bell pepper, sliced into strips,
- a little oil for sautéing.
For the tray and finishing:
- 100–150 g grated cheese, such as Edam or Gouda,
- oil for greasing the tray,
- optional: fresh bell pepper or onion for garnish,
- optional: melted butter for a crispier surface,
- optional: chopped chili pepper or 1 tablespoon spicy ajvar.
The original recipe does not specify exact amounts of herbs, oil, spices, or garnish ingredients, so adjust them to the size of your tray and your own taste.
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Soaking the oats: Pre-soak the oats in a little water or milk and let them soften. They act as a binder in the recipe, so add them to the potato mixture only after they have absorbed the liquid.
2. Preparing the onion base: Chop the onion and let it soften in a little oil. Use a pan large enough to later hold the meat (or chosen sausage) and sliced bell pepper.
3. Sautéing the meat and vegetables: Add the minced meat, or chopped sausage, frankfurters, or ham, and the sliced bell pepper to the onion. Sauté the mixture until the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender.
4. Cooling the mixture: Remove the sautéed meat and vegetables from the heat and let them cool for a while. Don’t skip this step, as mixing a hot filling with the potato dough could cause the eggs to scramble.
5. Preparing the potatoes: Coarsely grate the potatoes and squeeze out any excess water thoroughly. The less liquid left, the better the pancake will bake and the crispier the surface will be.
6. Mixing the dough: Add the softened oats, eggs, spring onion, chives or parsley, and salt, pepper, ground paprika, and spicy seasoning to the squeezed potatoes. Finally, mix in the cooled pan mixture and combine everything well.
7. Spreading on the tray: Line a baking tray with parchment paper or grease it with oil. Spread the potato mixture evenly in a thin layer. If you have any fresh bell pepper or onion left, you can arrange it on top.
8. First baking phase: Place the pancake in an oven preheated to 180°C and bake for about 30 minutes. For an even crispier result, drizzle the surface with melted butter just before baking.
9. Cheese finish: After 30 minutes, remove the tray and sprinkle the entire surface with 100–150 g grated cheese. Return it to the oven for another 5–7 minutes, until the cheese melts and turns golden. The total baking time is about 35–40 minutes.
10. Resting and serving: Let the finished pancake rest for a minute, then cut it into squares. Serve warm, ideally with a homemade garlic dip made from sour cream or with a fresh vegetable salad.
How to Achieve a Crispier Pancake
It’s important to squeeze the grated potatoes really well. If too much water remains, the baked pancake will be softer. The thickness of the mixture on the tray also affects the result, as a thinner layer bakes and browns better than one that is too thick.
You can also achieve a crispier surface by lightly drizzling with melted butter before putting it in the oven. Spread the mixture evenly so all parts bake for the same amount of time.
Which Oats Can Be Used
Oats act as a binder and should be softened in a little water or milk before adding to the mixture. You can also use spelt or rye flakes instead. Let these soak a bit longer so they don’t remain hard in the pancake after baking.
Final Tip
If you like a stronger and spicier flavor, add chopped chili pepper or a tablespoon of spicy ajvar to the mixture. You can also adapt the meat part to what you have on hand and use sausage, frankfurters, or ham instead of minced meat.
