Potatoes: Ethnic Food

Potatoes are a main ingredient in many complex ethnic foods, such as potato-stuffed pastries, pastas, soups, and stews. Commercial preparations include the “deli” potato knish (pastry enclosing potatoes and onions), potato salads, and potato pancakes, which are claimed by many ethnic groups in America. Potatoes are a central component of Caribbean curried root vegetables, Russian or “ethnic Chicago” pierogi (dumplings), Indian dosi, and Pennsylvania Dutch potato rolls and potato-filled dumplings. Scandinavian settlers made potato flat bread and veal and potato sausage. These ethnic preparations amplified the homesteader diet on the Great Plains, which consisted of bacon and eggs with potatoes and onions fried in the fat.