Potato Cake (Irish Latke)

Inspired by Co. Sligo native Denis S.M. Kelly's fried shredded potato dish.  Kelly loved his 'taters. He would hold a hot baked potato in one hand and a stick of cold butter in the other, and with alternate bites, consume them both, with great noisy relish. I miss the lad. Recorded March 11, 2011. By adding a small amount of oil to the potato mixture, the richness is increased without too much fat. The dry onions absorb some of the moisture and flour the rest.

1 small russet potato, skin on
1 T canola oil, divided
1 T dry minced onion
1/2 t flour
salt and pepper to taste

Grate the potato through the large holes of a modified box grater (see Note). In a small bowl, combine with 2 t oil, the dried onions, flour and seasonings. Heat 1 t oil in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high, and then add the potato mixture as a patty about 4 inches across. Press to firm with a spatula. Turn after it's nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Continue frying until the second side is browned. Serves 1 or 2 as a side dish.
Hint: Alton Brown, Food Network personality, revealed that short-order cooks use a needle-nose pliers to bend the cutters of a grater outward to increase the size of the potato pieces it produces. Being thicker, they retain more moisture.