Raggmunk med Fläsk

Raggmunk is an old Swedish farmhouse staple — grated potato pancakes fried golden in butter and served with crisp strips of smoked pork belly (rimmat sidfläsk) and lingonberry jam. The name likely derives from 'raggig' (rough) and 'munk' (monk's bread), referencing the rustic, uneven texture.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Pancakes

• 800g (1.75 lb) floury potatoes (e.g. Russet or King Edward), peeled
• 150ml (⅔ cup) whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tbsp (25g) plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter for frying

To serve

• 400g (14 oz) rimmat sidfläsk (Swedish salted/smoked pork belly) or thick-cut smoked bacon
• 4 tbsp lingonberry jam

Instructions

1. Grate the potatoes coarsely into a bowl of cold water. Let stand 5 minutes, then drain and squeeze very firmly in a clean cloth to remove as much moisture as possible.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Fold in the wrung-out grated potato.
3. Fry the smoked pork belly slices in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Set aside and keep warm.
4. In the same pan, melt a generous knob of butter over medium heat. Drop large spoonfuls of potato batter and press gently into rough rounds about 1cm thick.
5. Cook 4-5 minutes until the underside is deep golden, then flip and cook a further 3-4 minutes. Do not rush — the potato must cook through.
6. Serve immediately with the crisp pork strips and a generous spoonful of lingonberry jam alongside.

Cook's Notes: Squeezing out the moisture is the single most important step — wet batter produces soggy pancakes that fall apart. Serve raggmunk straight from the pan; they soften quickly. In Sweden, the dish is considered essential autumn comfort food, often eaten for Thursday dinner.