Crispy Potato Latkes
Make these perfectly crispy latkes easily at home, and they'll be the food EVERYONE is talking about at your Hanukkah celebration.
Servings: 4
Calories: 449kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. russet potatoes peeled
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 apple
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour use up to 1 cup, and use matzo meal during Passover
- 2 tsp salt use up to 4 teaspoons
- oil for frying, vegetable or canola
- Applesauce and/or sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Grate* the potatoes, and squeeze the shredded mix until they are as dry as possible**.
- Grate and dry the onion and apple. Add it to the potatoes.
- Mix in 3 eggs and the salt. Add 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, then 2 tablespoons at a time until the mix can be formed together. A great indication is when the patties start sticking together in your hands.
- Add 1/2 inch of oil in your cast-iron pan over medium heat***. Make a mini-latke to taste test for salt. Golden brown on each side.
- Make each latke 3-4 inches wide and just under 1-inch thick in the middle. It helps to form a ball first, then the patty.
- Cook the latkes until they are golden brown on one side, being sure not to crowd the pan****. Flip, then cook the other side until golden brown. Flip again, and let the latkes get darker golden and crispy on both sides.
- Drain the cooked latke on a wire rack, on paper towels, or on a brown paper bag for 2 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
This recipe makes 12 latkes plus the tester latke.
* I use a food processor to shred the potatoes instead of doing it by hand. Use the large grater if grating with a food processor or by hand.
** You can use cheesecloth, a nut milk bag, or your hands. If using your hands, just squeeze a handful at a time and transfer the dry potatoes to another bowl.
*** Wait for the oil to heat to the point where a the latke will sizzle as you add it in. Ideal frying temperature for the oil is 350-375F.
**** Don't crowd the pan when cooking your latkes. If using a 12-inch pan, don't cook more than 4 at a time. 10-inch pan, 3, and 8-inch pan, 2.
Make a few hours in advance and keep warm in the oven on a wire rack at 200F with the door slightly ajar so they don't get soggy. Do this for no more than 2 hours.
Nutrition facts include 1 teaspoon of oil absorbed into the latke during frying.
Nutrition
Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 1810mg | Potassium: 1593mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 207IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 5mg
