Recipe: Vegetable Confetti Pancakes

VEGETABLE CONFETTI PANCAKES

1 1/2 cups grated peeled potato (one 10 oz potato)
3/4 cup grated peeled carrot (one 5 oz carrot)
3/4 cup grated trimmed zucchini with skin (one 4 oz zucchini)
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
vegetable oil for frying or greasing

Blanch the potatoes in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain in a coarse strainer. Don't rinse; shake out excess water.

Combine the potatoes, carrot, zucchini, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir until blended. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and stir just until evenly distributed. Let the batter stand 10 to 15 minutes before frying.

STOVE TOP METHOD:
Pour oil into a large heavy skillet to a depth of about 1/8-inch. Heat over medium heat until wavy. For each pancake, spoon 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the pan and flatten with a spatula into a 2-inch circle. Fry only as many pancakes in each batch as will fit in the skillet in a single layer. Fry, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove the pancakes from the oil, drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining pancakes. Keep the fried pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 250 degree oven while cooking the rest.

CONVENTIONAL-OVEN METHOD:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F with rack in bottom third. Thoroughly grease a baking sheet (not air-cushioned). Slide the rack partway out of the oven and form the pancakes, or preform on a plate and carefully move with a spatula. Bake the pancakes, turning once, until well browned and crisped on both sides, about 30 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
The pancakes can be made up to 4 weeks in advance and frozen. Separate the layers of cooked pancakes with wax paper and cover the container tightly with aluminum foil. To serve, heat the frozen pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet in a preheated 375 degree oven until heated through and crisp, about 6 minutes. Flip once during heating.

NOTES:
Although these pancakes are brown and crisp, the pretty patern of the variously colored vegetables shows through. They can be simply topped with plain yogurt and herb blossoms.

For grating, use the big-holed side of a four-sided grater. If you are making a lot of these for a large party, you may want to try the oven method. It also avoids a lot of fat.

Since the pancakes can be cooked, frozen and reheated as needed, you may want to make a multiple batch to stash in the freezer for unexpected guests or in preparation for a large party.

Makes 16 pancakes
Source: Party Food by Barbara Kafka