Why it works: Potato and onion are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,023 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Pea Pats
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Boil soaked peas until they are soft.
Mince peas together with boiled potatoes.
Cut smoked bacon into cubes and fry them together with chopped onion.
Mix and shape
Add some salt to the minced peas and prepare smoked bacon and hemp.
Knead and roll the mixture into round balls with your hands.
Dry the balls and put them in a pot.
Serve
Serve with kefir or buttermilk.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Pea | 1/2 cup (72g) | 62 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bacon | 1 slice cooked (8g) | 43 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Potato + oniontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,023 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Peas + potatotop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,016 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper, earthy).
-
Peas + oniontop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,460 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Gray peas
- Cooked and minced, their starch and protein give the patties body and hold their shape.
- Potatoes
- Their starch helps bind the minced mixture so it holds together when shaped.
- Smoked bacon
- Rendered fat adds richness and a smoky, savoury flavour to the patties.
- Onion
- Frying softens it and brings sweetness and aroma to the mixture.
The step that matters
Knead and roll the mixture into balls. Cooked, minced peas and potato hold together through their starch, but a wet or loose mixture slumps. It needs to be firm enough to shape well.
Swap the peas
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (potato, onion):
- Sesamefits better
- Beansfits better
- Peanutfits better
- Peasthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against potato, onion. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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