“I have made a lot of mistakes falling in love, and regretted most of them, but never the potatoes that went with them,” Nora Ephron wrote in her novel “Heartburn.” To that end, she offered up this recipe for Swiss potatoes, which is, as she noted, essentially a giant potato pancake, the flipping of which can — and should — be done as dramatically as possible. Make sure to dry the grated potatoes completely before frying them. This recipe serves two people, which is fortuitous because, as Ms. Ephron wrote, “Not just any potato will do when it comes to love.”

Ingredients

  • 3 ¾ pounds russet potatoes
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

      937 calories; 30 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 153 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 61 milligrams cholesterol; 1208 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

2 servings

Preparation

  1. Peel potatoes (after each is peeled, place it in a large bowl of cold water to cover to avoid discoloration). Dry potatoes and grate them in a food processor or with a hand grater.
  2. Spread grated potatoes on sheets of paper towels. Cover with another layer of towels and pat until dry. Repeat until potatoes are completely dry.
  3. Heat butter and oil in a nine-inch skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and pat down with a spatula to form a pancake. Cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes, or until the bottom is brown. Slide one spatula underneath the pancake, place another on top and flip it. Add salt and cook five minutes more. Serve warm.

30 minutes

Dining and Cooking