Be told ow to whip up tasty potato pancakes that any Jewish grandmother will love. They’re the easiest vacation deal with.

December is the time when presents are exchanged, sunlight grows brief and the temperature turns chilly. And, in the event you have a good time Hanukkah, it’s additionally the most productive time of yr to devour latkes.
We’ve noticed all method of latkes – latkes with leeks, latkes with carrots, candy potato latkes, cinnamon sugar latkes and latkes with curry. We even created a recipe for kimchi latkes for the ones instances after we’re feeling highly spiced.


However what about the type of latkes that your bubbie made whilst you had been a child? The ones potato latkes had been crunchy and easy with a bit of little bit of onion and numerous potato taste. In addition they went particularly neatly with bitter cream and applesauce.
Worry now not in the event you misplaced your grandma’s Potato Latke recipe otherwise you’re afraid to aim making potato latkes your self. This recipe proves that you’ll be able to make conventional potato latkes with a bit of elbow grease, a couple of easy substances and fundamental kitchen gear. It’s a recipe that you simply’ll return to over and over again even if it’s now not the vacation season.
What Are Potato Latkes?


Put merely, potato latkes are potato pancakes which might be served at Hanukkah celebrations. However, not like conventional flapjacks which you’ll devour for breakfast any day of the yr, potato latkes are discs of grated potatoes held in combination in crunchy webs with just a bit little bit of binder. We use egg as a binder on this potato latke recipe.
You could marvel why Jews were celebrating Hanukkah with potato latkes for over a millennium. Defined in short, oil- based totally meals are the middle of the vacation’s celebrations around the globe since oil performs a central function within the Hanukkah miracle. In Israel, the place Sephardic traditions predominate, Jews have a good time Hanukkah with small jelly donuts referred to as sufganiyot whilst Ashkenazic Jews of Japanese Europe get credit score for latkes.


It’s estimated that latkes were round in a single shape or some other for over 1000 years. The model we all know nowadays almost certainly emerged after the 1500s when potatoes had been ‘found out’ within the New International. No person in reality is aware of what the Jews of Japanese Europe fried ahead of potatoes. Some wager that their unique latkes could have been made out of some type of cheese. Sure, cheese.
No matter was once within the historic Latke recipe doesn’t in reality subject now that all of us have get admission to to potatoes. There’s not anything similar to munching on a crunchy, savory internet of fried potatoes with a bit of little bit of bitter cream or applesauce on best.
Substances


Right here’s all you want to make potato latkes with this recipe:
In case you have all of the substances on your pantry since this recipe forgoes the usage of fillers like matzo meal or flour. The component listing is so brief that you simply’ll almost certainly bring it to mind after following the recipe a few times.
Component amounts are detailed within the printable recipe card under.


Assuming that you simply don’t wish to devour your potato latkes with ketchup since that might be improper, we propose accumulating the next pieces ahead of you get started cooking:
Potato


We examined this potato latkes recipe with each Yukon gold and russet potatoes and, whilst each varieties of potatoes paintings on this recipe, we favor russets for his or her starchiness. Plus, russet potatoes are more straightforward to grate and peel.
Onions


You’ll be able to use same old white or yellow onions for this recipe. Typically, part a medium to very large onion (a couple of part a cup) is sufficient for each and every pound of potatoes.
We chop our onion high-quality as an alternative of grating the onion. Finely chopped onion intermingles with grated potato fantastically.
Professional Tip
It’s vital to make use of a pointy knife when cutting your onion.
Egg


This Potato Latke recipe calls for one massive egg for each and every pound of potato.
Professional Tip
Beat the egg ahead of including it to the grated and wrung potato and onion aggregate.
Salt


We love to flippantly sprinkle some salt at the floor of the potato latkes when they’ve left the frying pan.
Including desk or kosher salt brings taste to the birthday party. Noting that salt sorts range, we propose 3 grams of good salt for each and every pound of potato to ensure even distribution.
Professional Tip
Take your potato latkes to the following stage by way of sprinkling a flaky salt like Maldon at the completed potato pancakes.
Oil


Even though the Gourmand Mag recipe that impressed this potato latkes recipe referred to as for the usage of small amounts of Olive Oil and dependable refilling, we use vegetable oil as an alternative. Vegetable oil has a better smoke level and doesn’t burn so simply. Part a cup of vegetable oil must be sufficient to make about 14 potato latkes or much more.
How you can Make Potato Latkes


We followed this potato latkes recipe from Ruth Reichl’s yellow Gourmand cookbook after checking out variations the usage of a field grater and a meals processor. We additionally examined yellow Yukon gold potatoes and brown russet potatoes in addition to other approaches of spreading and frying potatoes within the pan.
This recipe contemplates the substances, gear and techniques that resulted within the tastiest potato latkes.
Hand Grating vs. the Meals Processor


You will be tempted to grate your potatoes the usage of the grating attachment of a meals processor. Whilst that approach is rapid (and secure if performed moderately), the grating attachment grated our potatoes too sq. versus the flake completed thru hand grating.
In different phrases, our gratings from the meals processor had been a bit of too thick and tasted uncooked in our completed potato latkes.
Purchase a field grater from Amazon in the event you don’t have already got the at hand kitchen device on your kitchen.


Sure, grating by way of hand could be a bit hazardous. We propose protecting the potato with a kitchen towel whilst grating to reduce the chance of chopping your arms. We additionally counsel the usage of the biggest hollow at the field grater.
Professional Tip
Soak the grated potatoes in chilly water for a couple of mins to clean off one of the vital potato starch.
Cutting the Onions


As mentioned above, you’ll wish to chop your onions within the smallest cube imaginable with a pointy knife. When you minimize your onions in a small cube you received’t wish to mince them. Take a look at a nice video from YouTube chef Helen Rennie for extra on dicing onions with out numerous hassle.
Purchase a chef’s knife from Amazon in the event you don’t have one or need an improve.
Wringing Out the Onions and Potatoes




You’ll wish to wring the onions and potatoes out with a towel when they’re chopped and grated. This step gets rid of a lot of the moisture which is vital since oil and water don’t combine neatly. Including a too-wet aggregate to the frying pan creates a splattering mess. Splattering scorching oil could also be unhealthy.
This step calls for some elbow grease however it’s value it. You’ll wish to wrap up the potato onion aggregate on your least expensive blank kitchen towel by way of folding within the corners of the towel. Then, over a sink, wring the potato onion aggregate by way of balling up the middle of the towel and wringing out the moisture on your sink.
Professional Tip
Transfer the potatoes and onions to a bowl while you’ve wrung out the moisture. You’re able to fry while you upload a overwhelmed egg.
Frying the Potato Latkes


We love to make use of a 12″ forged iron pan on this and different recipes. Cast-iron is a superb insulator and offers constant warmth and browning. We warmth the pan first after which upload the oil. As soon as the oil is scorching, 350°F / 177°C or upper, you’ll be able to upload start frying the potato pancakes.
Purchase a forged iron skillet from Amazon for this and different recipes.
As soon as your oil is heated, upload the potato aggregate 2 tablespoons at a time forming 3 to 4″ pancakes. Be sure that your pancakes aren’t too flat after they’re shaped. They must appear to be pancakes, now not chips. You additionally wish to keep away from any stray items of potato within the pan.


In about 5 mins or after the perimeters have browned, turn the pancakes. As they fry, the oil must make a gradual sizzle.


Elevate the warmth if the sizzle will get too gradual. Decrease the warmth if the potato pancakes prepare dinner too rapid.
Drain the fried potato pancakes on a plate coated with paper towels. Sprinkle them flippantly with a bit of little bit of salt.


After they’ve tired for a pair mins, position the potato latkes in a preheated 250°F / 120°C oven. The oven is not going to most effective stay your potato latkes heat, however the warmth of the oven will beef up their crispness.


Repeat as you fry extra latkes within the pan.
Serve potato latkes on a plate with facets of each bitter cream and applesauce.


Mindi eats her potato latkes with ketchup when no person is taking a look however, shhh!, don’t inform somebody!
Steadily Requested Questions
Potato latkes are necessarily potato pancakes.
Russet potatoes are the most productive potatoes for potato latkes however you’ll be able to additionally use Yukon Gold.
Applesauce and bitter cream are the normal potato latke toppings.
A forged iron pan is perfect for frying potato latkes since forged iron maintains a gradual temperature. This may occasionally insure very good browning.
Potato latkes are a very good supply of carbohydrates and fats that are supposed to be loved sparsely. You have to hypothetically bake potato latkes to cause them to more healthy however they received’t glance or style relatively the similar.
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Preheat oven to 250°F or 120°C.
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Grate potato at the greatest surroundings of a field grater
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Soak the grated potato in chilly water for five mins after which drain the grated potatoes completely with a high-quality mesh strainer.
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Position the grated potatoes in conjunction with the onions into the middle of a blank kitchen towel. Fold the towel by way of the corners and twist the potato aggregate right into a ball over the sink, wringing out as a lot water from the potato/onion aggregate as imaginable.
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As soon as the water is tired from the combination, position the potato/onion aggregate in a medium sized bowl. Upload the egg and salt after which combine completely.
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Position a 12″ pan with the oil over a top flame.
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As soon as the oil reaches 350°F/175°C, upload the Latke combine with a tablespoon. Use two tablespoons consistent with pancake and unfold them out with the similar spoon to create 3 to 4″ pancakes.
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Cook dinner within the oil for five mins or till the pancakes are brown. Turn and prepare dinner for an extra 5 mins till the second one aspect is browned.
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As soon as the Latkes are completed, drain them on a paper towel coated plate and sprinkle with salt. Transfer them to a cooling rack over a sheet pan within the oven.
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Cook dinner repeated batches the usage of the similar approach. Go away the remaining batch of Latkes within the oven for approximately 5 mins.
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Optionally garnish with finely chopped recent chives
- We had been impressed to create this recipe after studying Ruth Reichl’s Potato Latkes recipe within the yellow Gourmand Cookbook printed by way of Gourmand Mag.
- You’ll be able to double this recipe.
- Serve straight away to succeed in most Potato Latke enjoyment.
- Serve with bitter cream and applesauce.















