Name: Deruny (деруни, potato pancakes)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Ukrainian
Ingredients: 1.2 kg starchy potatoes, peeled; 1 medium yellow onion, peeled; 2 large eggs; 3 tablespoons plain flour, plus more only if needed; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to finish; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 120ml unrefined sunflower oil, for frying; Smetana (sour cream), to serve; Small handful fresh dill, chopped, to serve

Question 1

How do you keep deruny from turning grey?

Accepted Answer

Grate the yellow onion first, then grate the starchy potatoes directly into the onion juice. The onion juice slows darkening while adding sweetness to the deruny batter. Work quickly, mix the grated potato as you go, and fry the potato pancakes immediately after squeezing and seasoning.

Question 2

Why do you squeeze potatoes for deruny?

Accepted Answer

Squeezing grated starchy potatoes removes excess water so deruny fry crisp instead of steaming in the pan. Let the squeezed liquid stand for 1 minute, pour off the brownish water, and scrape the white potato starch back into the potatoes. That recovered starch helps create lacy, crisp edges.

Question 3

What potatoes are best for Ukrainian potato pancakes?

Accepted Answer

Starchy potatoes are best for Ukrainian deruny because they release useful potato starch and fry into crisp, tender pancakes. Waxy salad potatoes make a wetter, looser batter and need extra flour to hold together. Extra flour dulls the clean potato flavor in traditional grated potato pancakes.

Question 4

How do I know when the sunflower oil is hot enough for deruny?

Accepted Answer

Drop one shred of grated potato into the sunflower oil. The oil is ready when the potato shred sizzles immediately and steadily. Silence means the pan is too cool, and violent spattering means the heat is too high. Fry deruny over medium-high heat once the oil sounds lively.

Question 5

Can I use a food processor to make deruny?

Accepted Answer

Yes, use a food processor fitted with the fine grating disc to make deruny faster. Grate the onion and starchy potatoes finely, then still squeeze the mixture hard in a clean tea towel or fine sieve. The food processor saves time, but proper squeezing is what keeps the pancakes crisp.

Question 6

Can I make deruny ahead of time or store leftovers?

Accepted Answer

Deruny are best mixed, fried, and served immediately because grated raw potatoes darken and release water as they sit. You can peel potatoes 1 hour ahead and hold them in cold water, then dry them before grating. Reheat leftovers in a dry frying pan or hot oven until the edges crisp.

Culinary Explorer

Deruny (деруни, potato pancakes)

Ingredients

starchy potatoes

yellow onion

eggs

Where cooking meets culture.

Ingredient	Quantity
starchy potatoespeeled	1.2 kg
yellow onionpeeled	1 medium
eggs	2 large