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Pumpkin and Potato Draniki
Instructions
Lay out the ingredients on the work surface. Choose an orange, sweet pumpkin such as a butternut or hokkaido variety – it will give the draniki a bright colour and a sweet taste. Choose a starchy variety of potato – the starch will bind the mixture together without eggs.
Rinse the pumpkin thoroughly under running water and dry it with a paper towel. Cut the fruit in half and cut off the piece you need (about 250 g). With a sharp knife, cut away the firm skin from the piece – it will not soften in the draniki. Remove the seeds and the fibrous flesh around the seeds. Keep the seeds – you can dry them to serve with the draniki. Grate the peeled piece of pumpkin on a COARSE grater – this gives texture and keeps the characteristic sweetness in the finished draniki.
Peel the potatoes (250 g), wash them thoroughly and rinse them again in cold water.
Then quickly grate the potatoes on a grater with MEDIUM holes – this releases plenty of starch to bind the mixture without eggs. Add the grated potato STRAIGHT AWAY to the grated pumpkin in one bowl, so it does not darken from oxidation.
The pumpkin and potato mixture will be very juicy, as both vegetables hold a lot of water. DO NOT SQUEEZE the mixture as you would for classic draniki – the water is needed to bind with the flour in this egg-free lenten version. The excess liquid will be absorbed by the flour in the following steps.
Wash the parsley and green onion (10 g in total) thoroughly, dry them and chop them finely with a knife. Add them to the bowl with the grated vegetables for a fresh, green note. You can add coriander for a Caucasian character or dill for a classic touch.
Add the salt (½ tsp) and a pinch of ground black pepper to the mixture. You can add your favourite spices: turmeric (½ tsp to boost the golden colour), ground coriander (½ tsp), or ground nutmeg (a pinch for a pumpkin aroma). Mix thoroughly with a silicone spatula.
Add the flour (40 g, about 4 tbsp) – the binding ingredient in this egg-free lenten version. Add the flour gradually (in 2–3 stages), mixing thoroughly with the spatula each time. The amount of flour may vary depending on how juicy the vegetables are – go by the consistency.
The finished mixture should be pliable and firm, holding its shape when squeezed in your fist. If the mixture is too runny (it spreads), add another 1–2 tbsp of flour. If it is too dry (it crumbles), leave it as it is – the vegetables will release more juice during frying.
Divide the whole mixture into 10 equal portions. The dough rolls easily into balls with your hands – that is an advantage of the egg-free version. One ball weighs about 54 g, a convenient size to eat.
Flatten each ball with your hands to form round, FLUFFY PATTIES 1–1.5 cm thick. Thicker patties are the right pumpkin and potato draniki, unlike thin classic potato ones. The thickness gives the characteristic juiciness inside.
Heat a non-stick frying pan with the vegetable oil (2 tbsp). If your pan has a non-stick coating, do not pour in much oil – a thin layer is enough. The pumpkin and potato mixture is naturally juicy and does not need much fat to cook.
Place the draniki on the hot pan, 2–3 cm apart. Fry the bottom side over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until golden. The time depends on the thickness of the patties – thicker ones take longer.
To help the thicker patties cook through INSIDE, COVER the pan with a lid – the steam will cook the centre without browning the outside too much. This is the secret to juicy, fluffy pumpkin and potato draniki.
Carefully turn each dranik over with a silicone spatula. Fry the other side under the lid for another 3–4 minutes until fully cooked. A finished dranik has a golden crust outside and a soft, juicy centre inside.
If you fried them in a lot of oil, transfer the finished draniki onto a plate lined with paper napkins to absorb the excess fat. The egg-free pumpkin and potato draniki are ready! Serve them with pumpkin seeds (dry them for 2–3 minutes in a dry pan) and freshly chopped dill. On non-fasting days, add sour cream 20%.
The deruny turn out beautifully juicy, fluffy and very tasty straight from the hot pan.Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Grate the pumpkin on a COARSE grater and the potato on a MEDIUM one – that is the secret to the right texture of pumpkin and potato draniki.
- 2
Do not squeeze the juice out of the mixture – the water is needed to bind with the flour in this egg-free lenten version.
- 3
Fry under a lid – the steam will cook the centre of the thicker draniki. I use a similar principle to make classic potato draniki without eggs.
- 4
Serve with dried pumpkin seeds – they give a pretty autumn look and a crunchy texture.
FAQ
Which pumpkin should I choose for draniki? +
The best varieties for draniki are: butternut (pear-shaped, sweet, no fibres), hokkaido (small, very sweet, the skin can be left on), and other sweet varieties with firm flesh that holds its shape. Avoid decorative pumpkins (inedible), fibrous varieties that do not soften, and pumpkins that have dried out after long storage. The ideal choice is a pumpkin with thin orange skin and firm, sweet flesh.
Can I replace the flour with another ingredient? +
Yes, here are options for vegan and gluten-free menus: rice flour (40 g, gluten-free, gives a tender texture), corn flour (40 g, gluten-free, golden colour), buckwheat flour (40 g, a more Russian flavour), oat flakes ground in a coffee grinder (40 g, gluten-free), chickpea flour (35 g, for vegan draniki with extra protein), potato starch (30 g, gluten-free, gives a crisp crust), or coconut flour (30 g). Each substitute gives its own character. Wheat flour is the universal classic with the best binding ability.
How long do the cooked draniki keep? +
Fresh draniki are best eaten straight from the pan – they are tastiest hot, with a crisp crust. They keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container; before serving, reheat them in a dry pan for 2 minutes on each side, or in the oven for 3 minutes at 150°C. Do not reheat them in the microwave – they will go soft and lose their crust. You can freeze the raw, shaped draniki for 1 month in airtight bags with parchment between the layers – fry them straight from frozen, increasing the time to 5 minutes per side. Cooked draniki lose their crust after freezing, so this is not recommended.
What should I serve with pumpkin and potato draniki? +
Lenten serving (no dairy): with pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs (dill, parsley, coriander), a garlic sauce of vegetable oil + garlic + lemon juice, homemade tomato sauce, or an avocado sauce (avocado purée + lemon juice). Non-fasting serving: with sour cream 20% and herbs (the classic for Belarusian deruny), with Greek yoghurt and garlic, or with cream cheese and herbs. As a main course – with a vegetable salad for a lenten dinner. As a side dish – with fried chicken, beef meatballs or baked fish. To drink – compote, fruit drink, kvass, or, for the lenten version, herbal tea.
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