Samogitian Pancakes, or Žemaičių blynai, are a delicious and hearty lunch or dinner option. These Lithuanian potato pancakes with meat filling are crispy on the outside and deliciously savory on the inside, making them the perfect comfort food. As a matter of fact, they are more croquettes than pancakes! Try them out and enjoy a taste of traditional regional Lithuanian cuisine right at home!
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What Are Samogitian Potato Pancakes?
Ok, let's get the important thing out of the way first! These Lithuanian pancakes aren't realy pancakes, right? They are more like potato croquettes with meat filling. However, in Lithuania, we refer to them as Blynai, which translates as pancakes.
So what are Samogitian Pancakes, or as they're known in Lithuania, Žemaičių blynai? Originating from the northwestern part of the country, this regional Lithuanian dish is now popular across Lithuania. Made from mashed potato dough, stuffed with meat and onion filling, these pancakes use staple ingredients to create something worthy of a comfort food definition.
If you have leftover boiled potatoes and some leftover cooked meat, these Lithuanian potato pancakes will be a breeze to make, but if you are starting from scratch, be prepared to put in the work 🙂
And if you want a different type, try Traditional Lithuanian Potato Pancakes or Lithuanian Potato Pancakes with Meat, known as Kedainiu Blynai.
Ingredients and Substitutes
There are three elements to this dish: potato dough, meat filling and sauce. Our recipe is the basic version that uses very simple ingredients (but you can read about variations and extras in the section below). Here's what you'll need:
- potatoes: you may cook potatoes from scratch or use leftover boiled potatoes.
- egg.
- all-purpose flour: also known as plain flour.
- potato starch or corn starch: also known as cornflour.
- salt and black pepper.
- meat: you can cook the meat from scratch or use any leftover meat. We used pork shoulder steak on this occasion that we had left over from making a pork goulash, but beef, turkey, ground pork or other ground meat till work too.
- onion: or shallot.
- sour cream: or creme fraiche.
- fresh dill.
Find the ingredient quantities and full method in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Best Potatoes For Samogitain Pancakes
For the best Samogitian Pancakes, use drier types of potatoes and avoid waxy ones. In the UK, try Baking Potatoes, Albert Bartlett Potatoes, or King Edwards Potatoes. In the US, Russet Potatoes are your best bet. Different potatoes will require varying amounts of flour and starch, so adjust accordingly. All this advice also applies to other Lithuanian potato dishes, like Svilpikai - Baked Mashed Potato Bites.
Avoid using leftover mashed potatoes unless they were mashed with only butter or oil, not with cream or milk.
Variations
As with many traditional dishes, each family seem to have their own recipe that they trust and love. Here are a few common variations:
1. Coating: Once you shape your Žemaičių Blynai, roll them in a lightly beaten egg and then in bread crumbs before frying.
2. Filling: Pork and turkey are the most common fillings for the Samogitian Pancakes, but you will find some stuffed with mushroom filling or even cheese (we recommend British Mature Cheddar Cheese).
3. Sauce: Lithuanian potato pancakes with meat are commonly served with plain sour cream (and sometimes dill and crispy bacon bits on top), but you will also find them served with creamy mushroom sour cream sauce or warm sour cream sauce with bacon and onion).
Step-By-Step Method
IF COOKING POTATOES FROM SCRATCH: Boil unpeeled potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and leave them to cool down enough to handle. Then peel them before mashing.
IF COOKING RAW MEAT: If using raw pork, place it in a pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt, a few peppercorns and a bay leaf. Boil the meat until fully cooked through and tender. The internal temperature should reach (195-200° F or 95-99° C). It should shred easily when cooked.
IF USING GROUND MEAT: Brown the meat on all sides over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Then reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook until very tender (pork mince will take about 15 minutes, whilst chicken and turkey will take about 6-7 minutes). Drain the meat mixture well to get rid of any excess liquid or fat.
Make Mashed Potato Dough
1. Using a potato mashed or a food mill, mash boiled potatoes into a thick smooth paste.
2. Add an egg, salt, flour and starch and mix well to distribute.
3. Knead the potatoes just enough to combine. Add more flour if the mixture feels overly sticky. Set potato dough aside.
Make The Meat Filling
1. Heat a little oil and butter in a frying pan. Add the onions and fry them on low heat for 10-15 minutes, until soft and caramelised.
2. In the meantime, shredd the meat very finely. You may use two forks to pull away the strands of meat, then cut them into small bits using a sharp knife. Alternatively, you can place the meat strands into a food processor and pulse it to chop the finely. If you cooked ground meat, make sure to drain it of any excess liquid or fat.
3. Place the meat and sauteed onions into a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine.
Assemble and Cook
1. Divide the potato dough into large handfuls and flatten the dough in the palm of your hand (cold wet hands prevent the dough from sticking).
2. Place 1.5-2 tablespoon of meat filling in the centre and encase it fully in the potatoes. Shape, mould and flatten the pancakes into either round disks or ovals. Place the Samogitian Pancakes on a very well-floured surface as you shape them.
3. Melt 2 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan on medium heat. Fry the pancakes for 6-7 minutes on each side, until golden brown and fully warmed through.
4. Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh dill on top. Alternatively, make a warm sour cream sauce with onion and bacon or Lithuanian Cottage Cheese Sauce For Potato Pancakes.
Storage and Leftovers
Shaped pancakes can be arranged on a very well-floured board and covered with plastic wrap, before placing them in the fridge for up to 3 days. You may also freeze Samogitian Pancakes at this stage, by wrapping them individually in plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can freeze them on a chopping board for 1-2 hours, then place them in a ziplock bag.
Cook your pancakes from frozen. Simply add them to a pan with melted butter, and cook on both sides until nice and golden brown. Then place them in the oven at 340°F (170°C) for 10-12 minutes until fully warmed through.
More Lithuanian Potato Recipes
Samogitian Pancakes
Equipment
- Potato Masher
- Large Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 700 g (1.5 lb) raw potatoes or 1 530g (1lb) cooked (boiled) potatoes
- 1 egg small
- 1.5 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1.5 tablespoon potato starch or corn starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
Meat Filling:
- 200 g (0.5lb) raw pork or 120g (4.5 oz) cooked pork, shredded or minced
- 1 small onion very finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
To Serve:
- 2-3 tablespoon sour cream or creme fraiche
- fresh dill
Instructions
- IF COOKING POTATOES FROM SCRATCH: Boil unpeeled potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and leave them to cool down enough to handle. Then peel them before mashing.
- IF COOKING RAW MEAT: If using raw pork, place it in a pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt, a few peppercorns and a bay leaf. Boil the meat until fully cooked through and tender. The internal temperature should reach (195-200 F or 95-99 C). It should shred easily when cooked.
- IF USING GROUND MEAT: Brown the meat on all sides over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Then reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook until very tender (pork mince will take about 15 minutes, whilst chicken and turkey about 6-7 minutes). Drain the meat mixture well to get rid of any excess liquid or fat.
Make Mashed Potato Dough
- Using a potato mashed or a food mill, mash boiled potatoes into thick smooth paste.
- Add an egg, salt, flour and strach and mix well to distribute.
- Knead the potatoes just enough to combine. Add more flour if the mixture feels overly sticky. Set potato dough aside.
Make The Meat Filling
- Heat a little oil and butter in a frying pan. Add the onions and fry them on low heat for 10-15 minutes, until soft and caramelised.
- In the meantime, shredd the meat very finely. You may use two forks to pull away the strands of meat, then cut them into small bits using a sharp knife. ALternatively, you can place the meat strands into a food processor and pulse it to chop the finely. If you cooked ground meat, make sure to drain it of any excess liquid or fat.
- Place the meat and sauteed onions into a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and peper and mix well to combine.
Assemble and Cook
- Divide the potato dough into large handfuls and flatten the dough in the palm of your hand (cold wet hands prevent the dough from sticking).
- Place 1.5-2 tablespoon of meat filling in the centre and encase it fully in the potatoes. Shape, mould and flatted the pancakes into either round disks or ovals. Place the Samogitian Pancakes on a very well floured surface as you shape them.
- Melt 2 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon or butter in a large frying pan on medium heat. Fry the pancakes for 6-7 minutes on each side, until golden brown and fully warmed through.
- Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream and a sprinlling of fresh dill on top.
Notes
- For the best Samogitian Pancakes, use drier types of potatoes and avoid waxy ones. In the UK, try Baking Potatoes, Albert Bartlett Potatoes, or King Edwards Potatoes. In the US, Russet Potatoes are your best bet. Different potatoes will require varying amounts of flour and starch, so adjust accordingly.
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