Classic Potato Latkes (and you too can claim to make the world’s best latkes)

My father makes the world’s best potato latkes.  I know this is true because he has made a point of telling me.  Every year, right around Hanukkah, the trash talk begins.  He sees the recipes for zucchini latkes or sweet potato latkes or baked latkes or latkes made from mashed potatoes show up on the front of cooking magazines or in the newspaper and his reaction is always the same, he snorts with derision and then says “that’s not a latke”.    My feelings about potato latke purity aren’t quite as strong, but I will admit that to me a Hanukkah potato latke should be made from grated potatoes, onions, matzo meal and not much else. 

 I won’t bore you with the rest of my father’s annual diatribe.  I will share my own tips for making really good classic potato latkes.  The first is to finely grate the potatoes.  My father uses a Saladmaster hand crank machine that his mother bought in the 60?s.  I use the grater attachment for my KitchenAid.  The BF’s mother hand grates the potatoes for her latkes and, to be honest, gave me a look of superiority when she saw me using the machine last year, but I don’t think bloody knuckles and a ruined manicure make the latkes taste better.  I do think that grating 10 lbs. of potatoes in 5 minutes makes the cook happier. 

Anyway, my second tip for making really good potato latkes is a salad spinner.  Potatoes and onions contain a lot of water which has to be squeezed out of the shredded potato/onion mixture or your batter ends up soggy and the grease really flies while you fry your pancakes.  Giving the shredded potato/onion mixture a spin removes excess liquid and is much easier than squeezing out the moisture with a tea towel or watching the potatoes turn brown while they drain in a colander.

Note that there isn't a pool of potato onion water in the bottom of the bowl. All hail the salad spinner!

Classic Potato Latkes

Makes approximately 18 three inch latkes.

6 large russet potatoes (I don’t bother to peel them, that’s up to you. I just wash and grate.)2 medium onions3 scallions, finely chopped (optional, I just like them for color)3 eggs, beaten1/2 cup matzo meal1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper1/2 cup of vegetable shortening or neutral-flavored oil (such as canola)

Grate potatoes and onions into a large bowl. Drain any excess liquid (using a salad spinner!*), then add the scallions, eggs, matzo meal, salt and pepper.  Mix until thoroughly combined.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a couple tablespoons of shortening or oil and heat until it begins to shimmer.

Spoon about ¼ cup of the mixture into hot oil and form into small pancakes. You can cook several at a time but don’t crowd the pan. Cook until underside is golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until other side is golden and potatoes are cooked through, about 2 minutes more.

Five latkes happily fry in a 14inch skillet

You’ll need to replenish the oil in the pan after a couple of batches.  Be sure to let the oil heat up before you continue cooking.

Keep latkes warm and crisp by placing them on a wire rack (on a cookie sheet) in a 200 degree oven until all the latkes are done and you are ready to serve.

 Serve hot with sour cream and/or applesauce.

*  You’ll need to empty the fluid in the salad spinner a several times to get the mixture as dry as possible.  For the recipe above, I ran the potatoes through the spinner three times.

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