Nothing signifies Hanukkah more than the smell of latkes frying to a golden crisp. But for all their perfection as a hot holiday treat to eat, making them can often feel intimidating. As with any tradition that dates back hundreds of years, there are endless opinions about what makes the perfect latke and plenty of pratfalls that can ruin them. But there’s more than one way to fry a latke, and depending on how much time you have on hand, there are a few different elements to consider in order to get that perfect balance between fluffy interior and crispy exterior.
Pick your potatoes wisely
The essence of a potato latke is of course … potatoes! The best potatoes for frying are the varietals that have the highest starch content, leading to crispy latkes that hold together. Russet is usually the top choice, but Idaho, Yukon Gold or other starchy choices also make the cut. But most potatoes will work fine in a pinch — sweet potatoes are even a great alternative if you want to mix it up a bit.
Squeeze all the water out
You can grate the potatoes in a food processor if you want to save time, but I think the box grater is the best bet for achieving the best texture. The most important step is — no matter what potato you use — to squeeze all the excess water out. Whenever you think you’re done, keep squeezing! The less water the better your latkes.
Add in your binding agents
Besides potatoes, there are a few other key ingredients to mix in. Eggs show up in every recipe as the glue to hold the latkes together. Usually there is also some type of flour or matzo meal to give another element to fry. To add a bit more flavor and texture, some recipes also include grated onions.
Fry in an oil with a high smoke point
The last ingredient is always the most essential: the oil or fat. 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.
There's no limit to latke toppings
A fresh hot latke right out of the oil doesn’t need any additions, but there are certainly ways to add more to an already great dish. The most traditional garnishes are applesauce or sour cream — both can be dolloped on top or used as a dip. You can spice up both classics, either by adding ingredients like cinnamon or cloves to your applesauce, or chives and garlic to the sour cream. Oftentimes, you’ll also see smoked salmon paired with latkes. As easy as potatoes are for bases to riff on with mashed potatoes or baked potatoes, the same can be said with latkes.
The only drawback to making latkes can be their time-consuming preparation. There will always be purists, but when it comes to those in a time crunch, it is OK to take a few shortcuts to ensure you get some latkes on the table.
The biggest time-saver is to buy pre-shredded potatoes. Make sure they are defrosted and try to squeeze out as much water as you can (as you would with regular potatoes). But you’ll save the time consuming peeling and grating portion of the recipe.
Get the recipe:
Ali Rosen
Get The Recipe
The Easiest Potato Latkes
Ali Rosen
The simplest shortcut is to use self-rising flour — much easier to measure one item than tracking down multiple ingredients.
The other shortcut I swear by is to not peel the potatoes. We are happy to eat potato skins in other recipes so there’s no reason to not do the same here. It will buy you back precious time without anyone noticing it in the end result.
But the most important thing is to make sure you have latkes, so any shortcut you can take to make sure it happens is worthwhile.
AliRosenis the Emmy and James Beard Award-nominated host of "Potluck withAliRosen" on NYC Life. She is the author of the cookbook "Bring It!" and the upcoming "Modern Freezer Meals." She has been featured on TODAY, Dr. Oz and NPR's All Things Considered and has written for publications including The Washington Post, Bon Appetit and New York Magazine. She is originally from Charleston, South Carolina but now lives in New York City.
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.
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.
– After shredding your potatoes, immerse them in cold water to keep them from discoloring. If you're using a hand grater, you can shred them directly into the bowl of water. Soaking the shreds helps to keep them from turning brown; it also has the added benefit of making crispier latkes.
Peel the potatoes and then cut them into cubes. As you cube them place the cubes in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent them from darkening. In a food processor, grate the potatoes and the onion.
Potatoes can react like sponges; too much oil can make your potatoes appear to be soggy. Try placing oil in a spray bottle or using an aerosol to apply the oil to the potatoes. Lastly, ensure that the potatoes are dry before you add the oil.
A: This sure sounds a lot like potatoes that have been stored too long, in too cold of an environment before cooking. When potatoes are held below 41°F for too long a period, the starches convert to sugar and it changes the cooking chemistry.
Originally from the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes Mountains, the potato wasn't incorporated into the Eastern European Jewish diet until the eighteen and nineteenth centuries. Historically, Jews in Central and Southern Europe cooked kaese (cheese) latkes, and Jews in Eastern Europe made latkes from buckwheat or rye flour.
The sweet tang of applesauce adds a contrasty punch to the potatoes and green onions, which make up latkes, while also cutting the grease from frying them. On the other hand, sour cream, while also adding its own version of tartness, can weigh the fried potato cakes down with dairy.
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. (It doesn't matter if it discolors– when you fry them the latkes turn a beautiful golden brown). Fry the latkes no more than an hour or two ahead of serving.
Grate them by hand using the large holes on a cheese grater. Or, for the greatest ease, use the grater blade on a food processor: place the potato in the large feed tube, lock into place, turn on, and push through. Repeat with the other potatoes.
Oil choice is crucial for a perfectly fried latke. Because you are deep frying, you want to use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, canola, or grapeseed.
Potato pancakes may turn out mushy if there is too much moisture in the potatoes or if the batter is too wet. To prevent this, be sure to thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid from the grated potatoes using a kitchen towel or cheesecloth before mixing them with the other ingredients.
You might try an experiment for keeping the latkes crisp, cook off ahead of time, place covered in layers on paper towels and refrigerate or chill.Then two hours later, transfer to a sheet pan in the oven at 300-325 degrees and warm.
You can also use canola or safflower oil. Additionally, restaurant fries are so crispy because, among other things, they use old oil continuously. As oil heats up it breaks down—cooking oils with a high smoke point will break down more slowly—and that creates crispier fries.
Neutral, low-cost oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, corn oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc., work well for roasting. These oils have a high smoke point, allowing the potatoes to get very hot to achieve maximum crispiness.
While olive oil does taste great with potatoes, it also has a lower smoking point. The solution: mix EVOO with vegetable oil (or another neutral oil with a high smoking point).
Address: Suite 927 930 Kilback Radial, Candidaville, TN 87795
Phone: +8561498978366
Job: Legacy Manufacturing Specialist
Hobby: Singing, Mountain biking, Water sports, Water sports, Taxidermy, Polo, Pet
Introduction: My name is Ouida Strosin DO, I am a precious, combative, spotless, modern, spotless, beautiful, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
