These Potato Latkes are traditional in eastern European Jewish households. Light, delicate and well seasoned, they are beautifully textured, as the grated potatoes and onions fry up with lacy, golden brown, crisp edges that fan outwards. Yet when you bite into one, you feel the soft interior. That, my friends, is pure latke perfection! My new found love for latkes is real, so we have moved them from December and Hanukkah time to the “anytime of the year” rotation. I know I am already seeing some smiles for reminding you to fry up your favorite holiday snacky right NOOOOWWW!!
What are Latkes?
Latkes are nothing but simple little fried grated potato pancakes. You might associate them with Hanukkah, but they have deeper origins. Potato pancakes started as peasant food in eastern European countries like Germany, Russia, Austria and Poland where potatoes were cheap and plentiful. Sure enough, they became a staple and come in many innovative cooking forms. These potato latkes are just one of them. They are a popular festival food during Hanukkah in eastern Europe. Hanukkah refers to the Jewish festival of lights, depicting a lamp that was supposed to have only enough oil to last one night, but instead lasted for eight. This holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil, so fried foods are often featured. No Hanukkah table is complete without a heaping plate of latkes. The word latke itself is derived from the East Slavic word oladka, meaning small pancake. The basic potato latke has simple ingredients and, once fried, can be enjoyed with a variety of toppings. The most popular are applesauce, most common in Germany, and sour cream, loved by Eastern Europeans and Russians. You can make them any day of the week, as they have just a few things that are always in your house.
Ingredients Needed
Potatoes – I always go with russet potatoes since they’re high in starch, making them perfect for frying up crispier latkes. The starchier the potatoes, the crispier the latkes turn out. Onion – I prefer using Spanish or white onions. I stay away from red onions because they can overpower the delicate flavor of the fried potatoes. Eggs – One of the binders. Flour – I am using flour, which works beautifully. Matzo meal and cornstarch can be used in its place. Salt and pepper – To taste. Oil – Canola, or any high smoke point oil, can be used to fry. Once I tried frying them in ghee (clarified butter) and it was yum!!
Alpana’s Tips
All sounds good and easy?? Not so easy. If you don’t follow a few tips and techniques it can easily turn into a soggy, oily mess. I don’t want that. Here is what you need:
Latkes Recipe
I start by preheating the oven to 250°F. I line a baking sheet with parchment paper or set up a cooling rack to keep my latkes crisp after frying. I grate the potatoes using the largest hole on my box grater, but if I feel like it, some days I use my food processor with the large shredding blade, it makes things quicker. Once the potatoes are grated, I transfer them into a bowl of cold water to prevent them from browning. After that, I grate the onion and set it aside. I drain the water from the potatoes and then squeeze them in a cheesecloth or tea towel to get rid of as much liquid as possible. I do the same with the grated onion to make sure everything is nice and dry. I In a large bowl, I mix the grated potatoes and onion with eggs, flour, salt, and pepper. I use my hands to mix everything thoroughly, making sure it’s all well combined. Now it’s time to make the latkes. I heat up my oil in a skillet, then use a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a large spoon to scoop the potato mixture into the hot oil. I press the tops of the latke mixture with a spoon to flatten them into 3-inch discs. Then, I let them cook undisturbed until the edges start turning golden brown, which takes about 5 minutes. I gently flip the latkes using two spatulas to avoid breaking them apart, and let them fry for another 4-5 minutes until they’re golden and crispy. Once they’re done, I drain them on a paper towel. From there, I either serve them right away or transfer them to the baking sheet and keep them warm in the preheated oven until it’s time to eat.
Serving Suggestions
A dollop of apple sauce on top! Fruity apple sauce over piping hot latkes is a sweet and savory dream for your taste buds. OR a dollop of sour cream on top? Some people refuse to eat latkes without their sour cream. In fact, they are so passionate about their toppings that TeamApplesauce and TeamSourcream exist! At Gypsyplate we love them both and have some other suggestions too. Yes… some might scoff, but I do love plain tomato ketchup with them. It’s fried potatoes after all. And I suggest you try getting a little fancy when topping them with a mixture of smoked salmon, dill and cream cheese. Yum. How about Pastrami and whole grain mustard?… Cream cheese and red pepper jelly, delicious… Some salsa or guac?… Chipotle mayo? Tzatziki? Don’t roll your eyes, they’re even delicious with untraditional toppings! It is also common to eat latkes at breakfast time. Top them with some poached or fried eggs and avocado. You are looking at a great Sunday brunch.
Variations
Instead of grating the potatoes, spiralize them. It’s a great twist on traditional latkes. Try playing by adding your favorite herbs like chopped chives, mint, basil or parsley. Or try spices like a dash of paprika into the potato mixture. Grate different vegetables all together, like zucchini or mix and match. It makes life FUN! Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or not, eating good food is kind of a celebration and happiness! GypsyPlate loves bringing that happiness into your lives from all around the world. We ourselves are having a great time presenting all these tasty things from different cultures and countries! Fry some potatoes and be happy! And while you’re here, check out my collection of the best Potato Recipes. And tell us if you are #TeamAppleSauce or # TeamSourCream…
Latkes, on my Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Latkes are best served right away. But if you are making them ahead of time or eating them as leftovers, reheat in the oven on parchment lined baking sheet at 300°F for 5-10 minutes. Keep a close eyes on latkes when reheating so they do not burn. In case latkes are not holding together, you can mix more flour into the potato mixture. You can also add another egg if needed, as both acts like binders.
