Classic Potato Latkes
You don’t have to celebrate Chanukah to love latkes! If making your own potato pancakes seems daunting, I bet these step by step instructions as well as my collection of tried and true tips will have you whipping up some of the crispiest and best tasting latkes you have ever tasted
Yield: about 1 1/2 dozen (3-inch) latkes
Yield: about 1 1/2 dozen (3-inch) latkes
Ingredients
Latkes
- 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1/4 cup whole wheat white or spelt flour or matzo meal
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or as desired
- Freshly ground pepper as desired
- Peanut oil
Toppings (depending if you like sweet or savory!)
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Natural applesauce or try Chunky Cranberry Applesauce or No-Fuss Crockpot Applesauce
- Natural fruit preserves such as Polaner or St. Dalfour
Instructions
Latke Mixture:
- Fill a large bowl 3/4 full with cold water. Using the large hole side of a box grater, shred potatoes, adding them to the water as you go. (Work as quickly as you can to prevent potatoes from oxidizing and turning dark.)
- Transfer the potatoes to a fine-meshed sieve or colander and rinse with water; drain well. Grate onion using the same side of the grater. (You may also use a food processor fitted with a grating disk to the grate potatoes and onions.)
- In the same bowl, toss potatoes and onions together.
- Taking handfuls of the potato- onion mixture, squeeze out as much water as possible and place on a clean kitchen towel. Roll up mixture in the towel, twisting the ends together tightly to remove any excess water. Use additional towels if needed.
- Rinse and dry bowl. Return potato-onion mixture to bowl. Stir in eggs, flour or matzo meal, salt and pepper, mixing well.
Cooking Latkes:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a large frying pan with sides, over medium- high setting, heat enough oil to just cover the bottom of the pan (about 3 tablespoons). Do not allow oil to burn.
- For electric frying pans: you will want to set the temperature to 350 degrees F. (medium)
- Latkes are delicious whether they are bite-sized or biggies! To make 3-inch latkes, fill a 1/4 cup measure with potato-onion mixture and carefully scoop out into hot frying pan.
- With a spatula, press down gently until latkes are about 1/2-inch thick. Do not overcrowd pan as this will lower the temperature of the oil. (Cooking about 4 latkes at a time is generally enough.)
- Cook latkes for about 3 minutes, or until the edges start to get browned and crispy. Carefully flip, continuing to cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Remove the latkes to layers of paper towels to allow excess oil to drain. Repeat this process with the remaining mixture. (Drain any excess liquid that may accumulate.)
- Transfer latkes to an oven-safe plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil; keep warm in oven.
Serving:
- Delicious with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, fruit preserves or natural applesauce such as my No-Fuss Crockpot Applesauce or Chunky Cranberry Applesauce.
Notes
Latke-Making Savvy:
I’m a time-crunched cook, but I want to make REAL latkes! Help! To save time, you may certainly shred the potatoes in a food processor, using the medium shredding disk. Follow the directions above for cooking and draining.
Can I make latkes ahead of time? YES. Place cooked latkes on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Transfer to parchment paper or foil covered baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat latkes at 325 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot and crispy.
Can I freeze cooked latkes? YES. Follow directions above. Freeze in single layers. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting cover or zip-loc type bags. Latkes may be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat latkes at 325 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot and crispy. (no need to defrost)
Okay, I’m hooked! Now that I’ve mastered “Latke Making 101,” what other kinds can I make? The sky’s the limit when it comes to latkes!I have made latkes with sweet potatoes as well as adding veggies like sautéed spinach (squeeze out water before adding to potato mixture), parsnips, green onion, cheese…the possibilities are truly endless! One of my family's favorites are Veggie-Potato Latkes. For potato-less latkes, you must try For potato-less latkes, you must try using spaghetti squash instead as in Spaghetti Squash Pancakes!
Can you suggest a gluten- free alternative? YES. Replace the matzo meal or whole wheat or spelt flour with a gluten-free flour blend (such as King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill located in natural food stores like Whole Foods and some supermarkets. You may have to experiment with the amount of gluten-free flour used, depending on preferred texture and taste.
