Whether you're team applesauce or team sour cream, there's one thing we can all agree on: Latkes are one of the most favorited foods to enjoy during the Hanukkah season. They're salty, they're crispy, and they're absolutely delicious when topped with sour cream. Or applesauce. Or both!
To celebrate, I decided to whip up a potato latke recipe myself.
Why do we eat latkes on Hanukkah?
The beautiful story of Hanukkah is one that starts with oil. It sounds strange, but the miracle of light happened because of one night's worth of oil burning in the temple for not one, not two, but eight nights. So while the potato latke is a traditional food served on Hanukkah, frying this potato pancake in oil is the true reason for celebrating Hanukkah with latkes.
So if you're celebrating Hanukkah this year, or are partaking in this cultural tradition this holiday season, here's how to make potato latkes right at home.
2 lbs potatoes (about 4 potatoes) 1/2 onion, shredded 2 large eggs (3 medium eggs) 2 tbsp breadcrumbs 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Canola oil Applesauce Sour cream
How to Make It
Cut the potatoes in half to shred
After rinsing off the potatoes, cut them in half lengthways. Cutting them in half makes it easier to put the potatoes through a food processor. Do not peel the potatoes! The skin is a nice added touch to the latkes. If you don't have a food processor, you can buy a handheld grater and shred them by hand.
Repeat the same step for the 1/2 onion as well.
Squeeze shredded potatoes
Using a cheesecloth, squeeze out the extra liquid in the shredded potatoes into a smaller bowl. The potatoes may still have a little liquid after, that's okay. Just try to squeeze out as much as you can. If you don't have a cheesecloth, layer a few paper towels instead.
At the bottom of the bowl with the liquid, you'll notice a white slurry sticking to the bottom. That's the potato starch, which you will use! So don't dump it out just yet.
Mix together the shredded potatoes, onions, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Remove the liquid in the smaller bowl and scoop out the potato starch with a rubber spatula, adding it to the larger bowl with all the ingredients. I find it easier to mix the latkes with my hands, just make sure to wash your hands first!
I used three eggs in this photo since I had medium eggs in the fridge. However, if you have large eggs, you'll only need two.
Fry in canola oil
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. After 3 minutes when the skillet is fully heated, add the oil. Wait a few more minutes until the oil is hot.
When it's ready, scoop out some of the latke mixture (about 1/4 cup per serving) into your hand. Form into patties. I found it easier to form them over the sink, squeezing out any excess moisture before adding the latke to the pan.
Cook each latke for about 5 minutes on each side, or until they are crispy and golden brown. Yes, this requires patience, take your time. Turning up the heat will only burn them and they won't be as delicious! Once they are fully cooked, remove onto a plate lined with a paper towel.
Serve with sour cream and applesauce
The traditional toppings for latkes are sour cream and applesauce. While some are team sour cream or team applesauce, I'm a huge fan of mixing the two together!
The latkes are best when served warm, so if you can, serve them immediately.
Potato Latkes Full Recipe
After rinsing off the potatoes, cut them in half lengthways. Do not peel the potatoes!
Shred the potatoes and the 1/2 onion in a food processor, or with a handheld grater.
Using a cheesecloth, squeeze out the extra liquid in the shredded potatoes into a smaller bowl. Get rid of the liquid, but keep the white potato starch at the bottom.
In a large bowl, mix together the shredded potatoes, onions, eggs, breadcrumbs, potato starch, salt, and pepper.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Once heated (about 3 minutes) add some canola oil.
When the oil is hot, scoop out some of the latke mixture (about 1/4 cup per serving) into your hand.
Form into patties. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the patty in the sink before placing on the skillet.
Let each latke cook for 5 minutes on each side. Do not turn up the heat! Be patient, trust me.
Potato pancakes have a creamy, almost mashed-potato-like center, with a thin, golden, crisp exterior.Latkes, on the other hand, should have a deeply browned crust, with wispy, lacy edges. Latkes also aren't hash browns.
Russet potatoes: Russet potatoes, or baking potatoes, are high in starch and have a dry, mealy texture. This type of potato is best for latkes because the dryness of the potato is partially responsible for that desirable, crispy texture. Yellow onion: Yellow onion adds a savory flavor to the latkes.
Vegetable oil or canola oil is usually best, because of its high smoking point. Latkes were traditionally made with schmaltz, or chicken fat, so if you have access to it, you should certainly add it in, because it does contribute to the flavor.
A latke (Yiddish: לאַטקע latke; sometimes romanized latka, lit. "pancake") is a type of potato pancake or fritter in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah.
These potato pancakes (called latkes) are meant to symbolize the miracle of Hanukkah, when the oil of the menorah in the ransacked Second Temple of Jerusalem was able to stay aflame for eight days even though there was only enough oil for one day. The symbolism comes in the form of the oil in which latkes are fried.
Or, you can grate the potatoes hours ahead and store them submerged in water in the refrigerator. Drain them well and make the batter up to two hours ahead.
There's not enough starch binding the latkes. Luckily, the fix for both of these problems is the same: add some more starch — ideally in the form of matzo meal — which will soak up that extra moisture and bind the ingredients together more tightly.
However, all-purpose flour is perfect substitute and works just as well. Baking powder – Baking powder releases carbon dioxide into the batter which will increase volume and also lighten the texture of these latkes. Salt and pepper – I always use about 1 1/2 teaspoons of each, but add as much or little as you desire.
I will have to travel with them for two hours and latkes are only good as soon as you fry them. What can I do to keep the potato batter from turning brown? A: When shredding the potatoes be sure to add some acidity (such as a teaspoon of white wine vinegar or concentrated lemon juice to the water.
In a deep-fat fryer or heavy medium pot, heat several inches of oil to 375 degrees F. In batches, gently put the latkes into the hot oil and leave them alone to fry until golden brown, turning only once, about 4 minutes.
Golden brown potato latkes can easily be made from scratch at home before your holiday celebration. Mix together the grated potatoes and onions with a simple egg base and fry them in oil. Once cooled, they can be stored for later and just reheated before serving.
One acceptable substitute is almond flour. During any other time of year, crushed crackers such as saltines or oyster crackers and any breadcrumbs, including panko, can be used.
Applesauce and sour cream are the traditional accoutrements for latkes. Some load their potato pancakes up with both toppings, while others have strong feelings about one over the other. (I'm Team Applesauce, all the way.) However, this Hanukkah, don't feel constrained by these standard-bearers.
Tradition says so. Latkes are usually served at dinnertime along with a meaty main, like brisket. Mixing milk and meat at the same meal is a no-no for those who keep kosher, so sour cream would be out as a latke condiment leaving the underdog apple sauce victorious.
Potato pancakes are associated with almost every European cuisine and are referred to as a variety of names including latkes (Jewish culture), kartoffelpuffer (Germany), bramborak (Slovakia and Czech Republic), draniki (Austria), tattifish (England) and rosti (Switzerland) (“Potato Pancake Background”, n.d).
A common explanation is that we eat latkes (potato pancakes) because they are cooked in oil and this remind us of the miracle that a single cruse of oil found in the Temple lasted for eight nights.
📣 Easy way to remember: you grate potatoes for latkes, you shred them for hashbrowns. 🥔 Also, you won't find a recipe better then my Papa Leo's, I promise.
Are Hash Browns and Potato Pancakes the Same Thing? Potato pancakes are more complex than hash browns. Hash browns are pan-fried shredded potatoes, whereas potato pancakes are mixed with a binder, seasoned typically with onion or garlic, and formed into patties before cooking.
Introduction: My name is Melvina Ondricka, I am a helpful, fancy, friendly, innocent, outstanding, courageous, thoughtful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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