Slovak lokše: The perfect blend of pancakes and potatoes
At first glance, you might mistake them for pancakes that just turned out quite thick. However, the list of ingredients quickly dispels that notion. In Slovakia, this tasty treat delights with its flavor and simplicity.
Lokše is a traditional Slovak delicacy that is often mistakenly referred to as a potato tortilla. Although potatoes are indeed part of the dough, lokše more closely resemble pancakes or flatbreads. It's a delicious recipe for a meal that is budget-friendly.
Slovak pancakes
This Slovak dish is somewhat like a mix between pancakes and potato cakes. They are flat and soft, with slightly crispy edges. The Polishified name, without unusual characters, is loksze. The base for loksze is potatoes that have been boiled in their skins and mashed. In Slovakia, they are often served as a side to meat dishes, replacing potatoes. They can also be served sweet with jam or poppy seeds.
In my home, they reign supreme as a sweet dish, filled with plum preserves or strawberry jam. This is how they're eaten in the western part of Slovakia, while in other areas of the country, savory versions are more popular. As one of the oldest dishes in the country, it's worth discovering its taste and trying to make loksze in your own home.
Ingredients:
- 14 oz of potatoes,
- 4.2-4.6 oz of all-purpose flour,
- a pinch of salt,
- 2 tablespoons of butter.
Preparation:
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft.
- Drain, cool, and mash them.
- Add salt and flour, and knead until the mixture no longer sticks to your hands. If needed, add a bit more flour.
- Divide the dough into smaller balls.
- Roll each piece into a flatbread about 0.08-0.12 inches thick.
- Heat a dry pan thoroughly and place the flatbreads on it one at a time.
- Toast on both sides until they start to brown and develop dark brown spots.
- Remove the loksze to a plate and brush with melted butter. For a savory version, you can use lard.
If you want the flatbreads to stay warm longer, cover them with another plate. Now just add your favorite toppings, and they're ready. They taste great when spread with plum preserves, rolled up, and sprinkled with a mixture of ground poppy seeds, melted butter, and powdered sugar. Enjoy!
