How to Make Crispy Latkes (Potato Pancakes) for Chanukah

A Hanukkah treat, latkes, also called potato pancakes, are crispy potato patties shallow fried on the stove and served with applesauce or sour cream. Latkes are easier to make than you'd think. You just have to keep in mind a couple of secret cooking tips for your latkes to turn out crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside - and not fall apart. The following recipe can be gluten-free if you use rice flour instead of the wheat flour.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 3 large potatoes (russet preferred due to the higher starch content)
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons wheat flour OR
• whole wheat flour OR
• rice flour (for gluten free)
• salt to taste
• peanut oil or expeller pressed coconut oil or other frying vegetable oil
• frying pan (cast iron preferred)

1. Wash and, if desired, peel the potatoes. Grate the potatoes as finely as your hand grater will allow. Place them in a strainer.

2. Handful by handful, squeeze out the liquid from the shredded potatoes. This is an important step for preventing the latkes from falling apart.

3. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, chopped onion, 3 tablespoons flour, and salt. Stir the latke batter until well mixed.

4. Let sit while you heat up oil in the frying pan on medium heat (level 4-5 on an electric stove). Use enough oil to cover 1/4" (usually 4-8 tablespoons). Get the oil very hot but not smoking.

5. Stir the potato pancake batter again. Drop patties into the very hot frying pan (2 heaping tablespoons per potato pancake), flattening the patties with a spoon. You should be able to fit 3-4 patties per batch, depending on the size of your pan.

6. Fry the latkes on one side until the bottom is very crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Don't be in a hurry. Turn and fry on the other side (about 5-7 minutes). Re-fry the first side if only parts of it are brown. The potato pancake should be very brown and crisp, but not burnt.

7. Repeat with the next batch, adding more oil if necessary. The pan will get hotter as you go, so fry for less time with the same amount of oil.

8. Drain the latkes on paper towels and keep in a warm (200 degree) oven until time to serve. Serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.

9. Store unused portion in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Reheat in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Exact amounts are not important in this recipe. More or fewer eggs, more or fewer potatoes, more or less onion doesn't make a difference. Too much wheat flour, however, can make the potato pancakes too tough.
• Hanukkah is sometimes spelled Chanukah, and is the Jewish holiday of the festival of lights.
• There are numerous different variations on latkes. If you've made them differently, post how you make them in the comments!
• Avoid trying to make low-fat latkes by using very little oil. The potato needs a fair amount of oil in order to cook completely. Ultimately, latkes end up being greasier with too little oil.
• Do not use a Vitamix blender to grate the potatoes or use any other chopping method in which they are immersed in water. Too much of the starch can bleed away, preventing the latkes from absorbing enough oil to cook thoroughly.

Resources

• The World of Jewish Cooking book
• Kosher Food delivered to your door - Buy now at Kosher.com

[aew4]

on 12/17/2008 Great recipe. I've been searching for an easy-to-follow one. I'll be trying it out Dec 21 :)

[MotherDove]

on 12/11/2008 Wonderful! Thanks so much for this recipe. My mom used to make these on special Sunday mornings. I never got her recipe so I can't wait to try this one. Thanks again.