Wash, but don’t peel potatoes. With a fork stick 3 holes in each potato so that they will not burst in the microwave. Place potatoes in the microwave for 5 minutes on high. Turn potatoes around and over and cook for 5 more minutes. When potatoes are done, remove them from the microwave. The potatoes will still be quite firm, that is, they will not be as done as they would be if you were eating them as baking potatoes. Immediately peel the potatoes with a knife. Grate potatoes into thin strips with a grater. If you are not going to grate the potatoes immediately, put them in cold water to stop the cooking.
Put cooking oil in a skillet. Heat on medium heat until the oil is very hot. Place the grated potatoes in a skillet in one big batch. Press down gently to cover entire bottom of skillet. Add salt and pepper and cover skillet. When the potatoes are brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. You may add additional oil if potatoes are looking dry. Try to turn them only once. When done, remove the potatoes from the skillet and drain on paper towels.
Veta updated this recipe to use the microwave to cook potatoes instead of first boiling them. Of course, our parents didn’t have a microwave, they didn’t even have electricity until we were half grown.
© 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003 Portia Isaacson Bass and Veta Leigh. All rights reserved.