How much do you know about a dish called Raggmunk?
Probably nothing, if you are not from Sweden.
Raggmunk is a classic Swedish dish that we have consumed here since we learned that the potato was edible.
Raggmunk is a potato pancake consisting of grated potatoes, flour, milk, and eggs, and it is traditionally served with fried pork belly and lingonberry jam.
In this recipe, I have changed the ingredients a bit, and I have also suggested a new way to serve this dish.
Let’s start with the ingredients. Instead of mixing the grated potato with flour, milk, and egg I decided to mix it with some discarded sourdough starter.
I’m always looking for new ways to make use of my discarded starter like crackers and popovers, as I almost consider it to be a crime to waste something with so much taste an flavor.
Besides, all food waste is bad.
These potato pancakes are very easy to make, but they should be served immediately. They lose their crispiness and becomes soft quickly. But it won’t take many minutes for you to make them.
Just take one medium-sized potato, grate it, and mix it with a tablespoon of starter discard, salt, and pepper. Fry the mixture in oil a couple of minutes on each side, and you have a great foundation for brunch or perhaps some kind of starter or appetizer.
On the pictures, I have topped with a spoonful of sour cream and a dollop of red caviar. After that, I sprinkled some chive over everything.
The starter discard adds both taste and texture to these potato pancakes.
There is a noticeable tang to the taste, and the surface has a pleasant crispness.
To be honest, I think this version is better than the original Raggmunk with milk and egg.
Sourdough starter discard is really a fantastic ingredient. Don’t waste it.
Potato pancakes with discarded sourdough starter
Ingredients
- 4 potato medium size
- 4 tablespoon sourdough starter discarded
- salt and black pepper to taste
Toppings
- tablespoo sour creme
- caviar to taste
- chives
Instructions
- Grate the potatoes and mix with sourdough starter discard
- Fry on medium heat in vegetable oil, three minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve immediately with preferred topping.
27 Comments
Wow – sounds fab!!
I’m glad you liked it, Rachel.
I’m about to try this out ,thanks for the inspiration
You are most welcome, Louise.
These were really tasty. I topped them with a few spoonfuls of green chile down the middle, cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.
Thank you, it’s always wonderful to find new ways to use sourdough starter, as I never throw any away.
Sounds really yummy. I have to try that. I’m glad you liked the recipe.
Hi Tomas! from Oregon, US, in quarantine… I was looking for savory dishes using sourdough starter instead of sweet ones and found yours. With tabbouleh salad, we the family of 4 made yours for last night dinner right at table one by one to serve immediately with griddle in the middle. We all loved it! Because I have 2 teen boys, I made a big batch and all disappeared so fast. Oh I wish of having caviar…(roe is something I miss sometimes being a Japanese native living in US for 30 years…)Instead, on the top we put air-cured pork loin my husband made. I’ll make it again. Thanks for sharing! Stay safe there and enjoy cooking 🙂
Hi Yoshimi
Yeah, this one of my favorite too. I’m glad you liked it.
Thanks for this creative ans delicious use of starter! So easy to make and has an absolutely delicious crunchy tangy texture.
I’m glad you liked it, Anne.
The only change I made is to use duck or chicken fat to fry them – they make potatoes taste better.
Hi Seth,
I have to try that. Finding chicken fat can be hard here in Sweden, but duck fat should be possible to find.
This is FABULOUS, have made them twice this week! We have lots of CSA potatoes right now and we are also baking a lot of sourdough, so there’s plenty of starter discard to go around! Thank you, your sourdough recipes have been a fabulous inspiration.
That’s great to hear. Many thanks, Sarah
Just made your sourdough raggmunk for lunch. It was so yummy! I’ll be making this a lot at uni once term starts again. Thank you for sharing!
You’re most welcome, Athena. I’m glad you liked the recipe.
Question: I’m new to the whole discard business (my first starter just became usable). My starter is 50% hydration.. is your starter more hydrated?
Yes, it is. Normally, I use a starter with 100% hydration.
Same thing I was going to ask, I maintain a dryer starter as well. So really I guess when I want to do any of these great suggestions I just need to make some levain at 100%.
You can try to dilute your discarded starter a bit, making it more liquid. There is no need for making a separate starter.
These were FABULOUS. I always am tinkering so I tried them adding eggs, cheese, bacon and it turned into a hashbrown casserole. I love finding new ways to use discard. I think I actually like discard recipes more than actual sourdough bread ?
That sounds like a must-try. I know what you mean. I never have to waste any discard anymore.
Thanks! I converted Boxty to Sourdough discard Boxty. Excellent!
I’m glad you liked it, Connie. First time I’ve heard about Boxty. I have to try that.
Can I make them from cooked potatoes? …to use up leftovers.
I have never tried that, so I don’t know. It’s worth trying. You will get a different texture, as raw potatoes tend to be more crispier than cooked when fried.
Tried these last night. Added a grated onion. Easiest and best latkes ever. nice and crispy.