Classic Hannukah Potato Latkes
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Classic Hannukah Potato Latkes
Classic Hannukah Potato Latkes are the delicious, creamy, crispy latkes you remember from your childhood only if you were very lucky. My mother hated to cook and she sure didn’t like grating potatoes so ours came from a box. (My mom won’t mind me saying this. She is proud of her speed records for both cooking and grocery shopping and she is happily retired from both.) You can now make them yourself any time of year. Whether or not they taste like the latkes you remember won’t matter once you taste them. One of my friends who was helping me demanded the recipe on the spot.
Why do you hand-grate some of the potatoes?
I don’t think I have hand-grated a potato since the invention of the food processor. However, Izi, the generous friend who shared this recipe with me, said that it was very important to hand-grate half of the potatoes. It helps to make them creamy inside and crispy outside. Since I always manage to cut myself while grating, I developed a technique for this. Instead of grating 3 of the potatoes and shredding 3, I hand-grated half of each potato horizontally. This protected my hand from the grater, and the remaining piece of potato fit in the tube of the food processor without being cut further. Try it!
What is the difference between potato pancakes and latkes?
I never thought there was a difference but it turns out that there is, although how they differ exactly is a matter of debate. Some say that potato pancakes are made with mashed potatoes and latkes are made with grated potatoes. I did a little research and discovered that there are an abundance of opinions about this. Some say that latkes can only be made with hand-grated potatoes, russet potatoes, and only the smallest grater holes can be used. Others disagree, saying the food processor is fine as is any type of potato. Since this is Judaism, known for 10 rabbis = 11 opinions, I am going to leave this question to be decided by you, and what your family prefers. I will say that I have never eaten a bad homemade latke or potato pancake, however they were prepared.
Can you bake the pancakes instead of frying them?
You can, but I hereby declare that those will not be either latkes, potato pancakes, or very tasty. Latkes are a traditional Hannukah food because they are cooked in oil.
What should I serve with my latkes?
Latkes can either be an entree or a fabulous side dish. Traditionally, latkes are served with sour cream and chives, or applesauce. If you have any leftover cranberry sauce, this is a good way to use it up, especially if you are serving the latkes with meat.
Products used in making this recipe:
Cuisinart DLC-10SY Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor, White
Cuisinart CTG-00-BG Boxed Grater
Classic Hannukah Potato Latkes
Ingredients
- 6 russet potatoes
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons flour may substitute matzoh meal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
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In a small bowl, beat eggs and whisk together with onion, flour or matzoh meal, salt and pepper. Set aside.
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Fill a large bowl with lightly salted cold water. Set aside.
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Peel potatoes, leaving some skin on if you prefer. Grate half of the potatoes by hand, and shred half in the food processor (if desired.) As you work, place the finished potatoes in the salt water. (If you skip this step, your potatoes will start to discolor from being exposed to air but are still safe to eat)
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Drain potatoes into a colander and press with a towel to remove as much moisture as possible. Wipe the bowl dry. Mix potatoes with egg mixture in large bowl.
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Heat approximately 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Oil is ready when a piece of potato sizzles when it is dropped in. Drop 1/3 of a cup of batter into the oil and immediately flatten the pancake with the back of a spoon. Cook as many pancakes in the batch as will fit in one layer, frying them for 3-5 minutes per side. Add oil as needed, letting it heat up before adding more pancakes.
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Place cooked potatoes on paper towels or other absorbent surface to drain. Potatoes can be kept warm in a 200 degree oven on a baking sheet. To keep crisp, do not put more than a single layer on each sheet.
Recipe Notes
Many thanks to Valerie who created this recipe, and to Izi who shared it.
This is the best latke recipe I’ve tried in 20 years and will look no further! I rarely read the commentary for recipe blogs, but yours was fantastic. Thank you for your humorous insights and thoughtful research for the perfect recipe!
Thank you so much. We hope you will try some of our other recipes and let us know what you think.