Crispy Potato Latkes Recipes

CLASSIC POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Before you begin making the latkes, place your wire cooling rack close to the area where you will be frying the latkes. Place a layer of paper towels below the cooling rack to catch excess oil. Cut the potatoes into large chunks and shred using a hand grater or food processor shredding attachment with large holes (large shreds). I really recommend using the food processor, it saves a ton of time and will help you avoid tears when grating the onion.
• Place grated potato into a bowl and immediately cover with cold water.
• Meanwhile, grate the onion using the grater or food processor attachment with fine holes (small shreds).
• Drain the potato shreds in a colander. Rinse and dry the bowl used to soak the shreds and set aside.
• Place drained potato shreds and grated onion in the center of a clean tea towel or multiple layers of cheesecloth.
• Wrap the shreds up in the cloth, twisting the cloth to secure the bundle, and squeeze firmly to remove excess liquid from the shreds.
• Pour potato and onion into the clean dry bowl. Stir the shreds with a fork to make sure the grated onion is evenly mixed throughout the potato shreds.
• In a skillet, add oil to reach a depth of 1/8 inch. If using schmaltz, add 1/4 cup to the oil. The schmaltz will add more savory flavor to the latkes. Heat slowly over medium to about 365 degrees F. While oil is heating, use the fork to stir the matzo meal, beaten eggs, potato starch, salt and pepper into the potato and onion shreds. Add salt and pepper to taste; I add about 1 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. You can sprinkle on more salt to taste after cooking, if desired. Take care to make sure the egg and seasonings are fully mixed throughout the potato shreds.
• Scoop up 3 tbsp of the potato mixture and shape into a tightly compacted disk.Place the disk carefully into the hot oil. Latkes can break apart at this point, they're very delicate. If you can get them into the hot oil in one piece, chances are they will stick together - frying them is like the "glue" that holds them together. It takes a gentle touch, and it may take you some practice to get the "feel" for it.The oil should sizzle, but not pop when the latke hits it; if the oil jumps wildly or smokes, it is too hot. If it only bubbles weakly, the oil is not hot enough. Use the first latke to test the oil temperature, and don't fry a whole batch until the temperature is right.
• Continue shaping the latkes in this way, using 3 tablespoons of potato mixture for each latke. Fry in batches of 4-5 latkes at a time (no more than that - don't crowd the pan) for 2-3 minutes per side until brown and crispy.
• Remove the latkes from the pan using a metal spatula and place them on the wire cooling rack to drain.I recommend serving latkes fresh within 10 minutes of frying them, if your cooking schedule permits. If you need to make them ahead, fry them 2 hours or less before serving. You can also freeze them if you're not serving them right away.
• To Reheat Latkes: Place them on an ungreased, unlined cookie sheet. To reheat from room temperature, place in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes (7 if using a convection oven), until heated through, just prior to serving. From frozen, it can take 15-25 minutes to reheat. Sprinkle with more salt, if desired, and serve latkes with applesauce and/or sour cream (or dairy free sour cream).

POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Line a large plate with paper towels and set it aside. Place a large skillet on a burner and add enough oil to reach a depth of about half an inch. Heat over medium to medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering.
• Add the potatoes, eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly to ensure everything is distributed evenly.
• Test the heat of the oil by putting a small amount of the mixture in the oil. If it sizzles and fries immediately, the oil is hot enough.
• Use a large spoon to scoop up some of the mixture (about 1/3 cup). Press it into the spoon so everything will stick together. Gently slip it into the oil. Use the back of the spoon to press down lightly on top of the latke to flatten it out a little. Continue adding latkes to the skillet until you have 6 cooking.
• Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes on one side. When golden brown, flip each latke over and cook for another 7 to 10 minutes until golden brown on that side as well. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up excess oil.
• When the first batch is done, cook the rest of the latkes. There should be approximately 6 more. When done, remove the latkes to the plate. Serve immediately with your choice of toppings.

CRISPY POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Using a box grater, coarsely grate the potatoes lengthwise, and grate onions.
• Put the grated potatoes and onions together in cheesecloth or a towel and twist it to squeeze out all the excess liquid.
• Put the dry potatoes and onions in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to personal preference.
• Fold in the egg whites and chives to bind the mixture together.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and coat with 1/4 inch of oil.
• For each pancake, take about 2Tblsp of the potatoe mixture and drop into the hot oil; gently flatten with a spatula so they fry up thin and crispy.
• Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden.
• Remove to paper towels to drain, season with salt while the potato pancakes are still hot.
• Continue frying rest of mixture, adding more oil as needed, until all of the mixture is used up.
• Serve immediately with desired condiment (applesauce or sour cream), if desired.
• This recipe yields (about) 20 pancakes (4")each in size.

CLASSIC CRISPY POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Peel and grate the onion and potatoes, and place into a colander with a bowl underneath. Pro Tip: Peel and grate the onion first; the potato will oxidize the longer it is exposed to air.
• Press and squeeze all the moisture you possibly can from the onion and potato mixture and let the moisture fall into the bowl. Use a clean dish towel to wring out the potatoes and onion if necessary. This will take several minutes, but is the most important part of the recipe.
• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, salt, pepper, and scallions. Add the grated potato and onion and toss to coat. Gently drain the liquid from the colander bowl. There should be a layer of gluey potato starch settled on the bottom. Add that to the potato and onions and stir.Pro Tip: Once added, the salt will pull even more moisture from the potatoes and onion. Drain again as necessary. Also, if you didn't get a lot of potato starch, don't worry. The latkes will still hold together.
• Heat a griddle or cast-iron pan over medium heat and coat with a thin layer of vegetable oil.
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture into the skillet, and flatten thin. Fry for a few minutes until golden. Flip with a spatula and cook on the other side until golden and crisp.
• Drain on a paper-towel lined dish. Keep warm in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
• Serve with sour cream or chunky, homemade applesauce, with some additional scallions for garnish.

CRISPY POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large mixing bowl with a clean dish towel. Position the box grater in the bowl and grate the potatoes and onion using the largest holes. Bundle the towel and wring out the excess water into the bowl. The more moisture you release, the crispier the latkes will be. Discard the liquid.
• Heat duck fat, schmaltz, or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350 degrees F). Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix grated potatoes and onion with 2 eggs, flour, matzo meal, and salt until there's no visible flour. If the mixture seems dry and it's not holding together, add one more egg.
• Using your hands, form the latke mixture into golf ball-sized balls, then flatten slightly into thick pancakes. Gently place them one at a time into the oil, which should bubble around the latke but not burn the edges. Fill the pan with just enough latkes so they don't overcrowd the pan (you'll probably get about a half-batch in). Fry until golden on one side, 1-2 minutes. Flip and fry the other side until golden, 1-2 more minutes.
• Remove latkes to a wire rack fitted over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Finish cooking the inside by baking, 10-12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with sour cream and applesauce.

JEWISH CRISPY POTATO PANCAKES (LATKES)

Steps:

• Using a food processor or a handheld grater, grate the potatoes on the large-holed blade, or side of the grater. Place the grated potatoes into a large bowl, and let them sit while they release their liquid.
• In another large bowl, mix the eggs and minced onion. With your hands grab handfuls of the grated potato and squeeze over the bowl with all the potatoes in them, squeezing out as much liquid as possible back into the bowl. Transfer the squeezed potatoes into the bowl with the eggs. Repeat until all of the potatoes have been squeezed and transferred. Stick your finger into the liquid left in the other bowl. You'll feel a firm layer of potato starch at the bottom. What you need to do is carefully pour off the liquid and then scrape up all that valuable starch from the bottom of the bowl and mix it well with the egg and potato mixture (best to use your hands). This natural starch helps bind together the potatoes. If there is only a tablespoon or two of the starch, you'll also want to blend in the matzoh meal or flour. Add salt and pepper (be liberal, the pancakes will be quite bland without enough seasoning).
• In a large skillet (or use two large skillets to make the cooking go faster), heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon or so of butter over medium heat until the butter has melted and the fat is hot. Swirl the pan, and then add spoonfuls of the potato mixture-as big or small as you wish-and gently press them into round flat shapes in the pan. Cook until golden brown and crisp for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. You'll need to keep a close eye on the heat; too low and they won't brown properly, too high and the oil will start smoking. Adjust it as needed.
• Drain briefly on paper towels, and transfer to a serving platter. Repeat until all of the potato mixture is used up, adding more oil and bits of butter as you need it (periodically you may want to dump out the pan, give it a quick wipe, and start over if you're finding that the oil is getting kind of dark and that too many bits of charred potato and onion are floating around). The potatoes will continue to release liquid as they sit; as you get to the bottom of the bowl, just give the potato mixture a quick squeeze before putting it in the hot pan to avoid splattering. And they will also start turning darker as they site, but when you cook them up it won't be very noticeable.
• Serve warm with applesauce and sour cream.