Finely dice the smoked bacon and fry it in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool, reserving the rendered fat if desired.

Grate the peeled potatoes using the fine side of a box grater into a large bowl. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then carefully pour off the excess liquid that accumulates at the top.

Add the crispy bacon, shredded Gouda cheese, minced garlic, eggs, flour, dried marjoram, salt, and black pepper to the grated potatoes.

Mix the ingredients thoroughly with a spoon or your hands until a sticky, uniform batter forms.

Heat vegetable oil (and the reserved bacon fat) in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into the hot oil for each pancake. Immediately use the back of the spoon to flatten the mound into a thin, round shape.

Fry for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until the edges turn dark golden brown.

Flip the pancakes and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes until crispy and cooked through.

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Serve immediately while hot, topped with a generous dollop of cold sour cream.