LATKES (POTATO PANCAKES)
Latkes (aka potato pancakes) are an easy thing to make at home that you can use as a blank canvas for all of your favorite toppings.
Special Equipment List
Cheese grater
Ingredients
Latkes
4 large russet potatoes
1 small onion
3-4 eggs
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil
Optional Toppings
Applesauce
Sour cream
Smoked salmon, dill, and cream cheese
Pastrami, whole grain mustard, and cornichon
Cream cheese and red pepper jelly
Yogurt, pomegranate seeds, sliced habanero, and honey
Method
Start by peeling 4 large russet potatoes and then grating them using a box grater. Also grate a small onion along with the potatoes.
Dump the grated potatoes and onion onto a fresh/clean kitchen towel, twist into a tight bundle and wring all the excess water out of the potatoes into a separate bowl. You should end up with about a ½ cup of water from 4 potatoes.
Once all the water has been wrung out of the potatoes, put the bowl with the potato water aside. Don’t throw away any of the potato water!
After the potato water has sat in the bowl for about 5 minutes, all the starch will set at the bottom. Empty the water into a separate bowl, leaving just the starch in the bowl.
At this point, start by adding 3 eggs to the bowl and beat together until eggs and starch are completely mixed.
Into an extra large bowl, add the grated potatoes and onion. Pour in the egg and starch mixture along with a cup of panko breadcrumbs. Mix together by hand until the mixture holds its shape when pressed together. If not, add another egg.
Once mixed and pressed, form the potatoes into balls and smoosh them down to get crispy edges when frying them.
Into a 12” skillet, add about ½ inch of vegetable oil and heat to 375°F. Add the latkes and fry each side for 4-5 minutes, or until deeply golden brown and crispy.
Once fully cooked, place the latkes on a wire rack to drain and season with kosher salt immediately after coming out of the oil.
Top the latkes however you like! I went with smoked salmon with cream cheese and a sprig of dill for one, pastrami with whole grain mustard and a cornichon pickle for another, cream cheese and spicy red pepper jelly, and lastly yogurt with pomegranate seeds, sliced habanero and a drizzle of clover honey.