How to fry big potato pancakes for hungarian pancakes?

Unfortunately GdD's method won't work simply because the top layer of batter is still runny. I have asked around and found the way.

• First, make sure the batter is right - egg and flour are essential. Commercially available batters "just add water" are not very good for that.
• Heat oil on the pan, normal temperature.
• Place the batter in three piles around the pan, and flatten them in such a way as to trap some oil in the middle. Otherwise you'll squeeze all the oil away.
• Let it fry for a short while, till the bottom is hardened.
• cover the pan - and leave it covered for a minute or two until the upper surface is hardened. This is the crucial step.
• Uncover the pan, lift the pancake and allow some oil under the edges by lifting them with a spatula, making sure it's loose and oil is evenly distributed. Fry until the bottom is well browned.
• At this point the pancake will be stiff enough across its whole volume that flipping it will pose zero problems - you'd need to try really hard to tear it.
• Brown the other side. You don't need to cover it this time.

Fill with goulash, folding in half, and pour some more goulash on top.

Result:

The secret is to use non-stick frying pans. I love cast iron and stainless steel, however when it comes to eggs or potatoes I tend to fall back on the inexpensive, teflon-coated aluminum frying pan because of the very issues you've described. They also require less oil for cooking, so less chance of getting hot oil on you.

You need the pan to be hot enough at the beginning when you pour the batter on, otherwise the pan will cool too much and the batter will adhere rather than forming a crust, then no matter what you do the result won't be good. Small pancakes won't cool the pan as much which may be why they come out better. I would try putting the pan on as hot a heat as possible (use an oil with a high smoke point like corn or sunflower) and get it smoking hot before you pour the batter on. Then keep it high for a minute, maybe two before turning it down. This should form a crust while on the highest heat, and turning it down will prevent it from burning. As for how much to turn it down and how soon depends on your stove, pans, and batter so some trial and error will be in order.

As for flipping technique, I would flip it using the whole pan, using the spatula to guide it a bit. It takes a bit of practice but it really is the simplest way. You could use a two-pan technique as you mentioned, you'd want to get an identically sized pan up to temperature, invert it over the cooking pan, then flip the whole assembly over. Any spare oils is a worry as you say, but if you are using non-stick you don't need that much oil so chances are it will be ok. The trouble is you can't have much oil on the fresh pan as you are turning it over.

No matter the technique you use the most important thing is to make sure the pancake is free to move. You do this by working the spatula around the pancake until the whole pancake slides around. Once it slides freely you can flip it without worrying about it sticking.