Potato pancakes (Kartupeļu pankūkas)

It was once mentioned to me that potato pancakes to Latvians is what spaghetti Bolognese is to Australians – it is a fairly quick mid-week meal that everyone knows how to make. Personally, when I was growing up, I hated potato pancakes, but I’ve learned to appreciate them. In mid 2000’s they became more than just a cheap meal at home to tie you over until the next payday as crispy potato pancakes started to appear on countless coffee shop menus in Riga. They were served with duck and lingonberry sauce or smoked salmon and sour cream, becoming quite a fancy meal.