By Adam Rapoport, Bon Appétit
I got my latke recipe from my mom, Maxine Rapoport, who got it from her mom, who, I'm pretty sure, got it from her mom. So I guess you could say it's a family heirloom. But when I moved to New York and began hosting my own Hanukkah dinners, I started toying with it. I wondered if I could get the latkes even crispier on the outside, and more flavorful. I did my research. My good friend Mitchell insisted that the key to great flavor lay in the onion-to-potato ratio, so I upped my Vidalia count. Good call: The onions introduced a subtle sweetness. I fried the pancakes in a mixture of schmaltz and vegetable oil because, well, chicken fat delivers taste. And I added a step that my mom never bothered with: wringing the water from the grated potatoes for the crispiest latkes possible. Then, instead of packing the potato mixture into patties, I spooned it into the pan, producing crunchy, craggy edges. Are these latkes different from what I grew up eating? Yes. But I imagine that my mother (and grandmother, and great-grandmother) would approve.
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Adam and Maxine's Famous Latkes
Makes 24
Russets are ideal for latkes. Their high starch content means you won't need flour to bind the pancakes. The result? More potato, and a crunchy (not cakey) texture.
Ingredients
3 pounds large russet potatoes (4-6)
1 medium Vidalia, yellow, or brown onions (about 2)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup fine plain dried breadcrumbs
3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (or more) schmaltz (chicken fat; optional)
2-4 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil
Applesauce
Sour cream
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°. Peel potatoes. Using the large holes of a box grater or the grater disk on a food processor, grate potatoes and onions. Transfer to a large kitchen towel. Gather ends of towel; twist over sink and squeeze firmly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Open towel; toss mixture to loosen. Gather towel; wring out once more.
Whisk eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, baking powder, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Add potato mixture. Using your fingers, mix until well coated. (Latke mixture should be wet and thick, not soupy.) Line a large rimmed baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Set a wire rack inside another large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons schmaltz, if using, and 2 tablespoons oil (or 4 tablespoons oil if not using schmaltz; fat should measure about 1/8 inches) in a 12 inches nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drop a small amount of latke mixture into pan. If the fat sizzles around the edges, it's ready. (Do not let fat smoke.)
Working in batches and adding more schmaltz and oil to skillet as needed to maintain 1/8 inches fat, drop large spoonfuls of mixture into pan, pressing gently with the back of a spoon or spatula to flatten slightly. (If mixture becomes watery between batches, mix to incorporate; do not drain.)
Cook latkes, occasionally rotating pan for even browning, until golden brown and cooked through, 2 1/2-3 minutes per side. (If small pieces of potato floating in the oil start to burn, carefully strain out.) Transfer latkes to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, then transfer to prepared wire rack. Place sheet with latkes in oven to keep warm and crisp while cooking remaining latkes. Serve warm latkes with applesauce and sour cream.
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4 Steps to Latke Love
Put the Squeeze On: Place the grated potato mixture in a kitchen towel and aggressively wring out as much liquid as possible. This concentrates flavor and prevents sogginess.
Switch Up Your Fat: If you can find schmaltz (chicken fat), get some; it adds extra flavor. Blend it with vegetable oil (you need the oil's high smoke point) for frying. Find it at butcher shops or aviglatt.com.
Test the Temp: If your oil is too hot, you'll burn the outside of the latke before it cooks through. If it's too cool, the potatoes will soak up the oil. Medium-high heat is just right for achieving a beautiful crust. To tell whether the oil is ready, drop in a bit of the mixture. If it sizzles, start frying.
Keep 'Em Crisp: Unless you want to play fry cook while your family eats, you'll need to keep a few batches hot while making the rest. Placing the cooked latkes on a wire rack in a 325-degree oven prevents them from sitting in their grease and lets heat circulate to keep that crunch.
More from Bon Appétit:
Bon Appétit's Guide to Fast, Easy Meals
10 Snacks You Thought Were Healthy But Really Aren't
Post-Holiday Detox Recipes
25 Ways to Use Sriracha
FAQs
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.
Is there a difference between potato pancakes and latkes? ›
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.
What were the original latkes made of? ›
Historically, Jews in Central and Southern Europe cooked kaese (cheese) latkes, and Jews in Eastern Europe made latkes from buckwheat or rye flour.
What is the difference between latkes and draniki? ›
Draniki is the Russian word for these potato fritters. Deruny is the Ukrainian word. Latkes is the Yiddish word. "Potato Fritters" is the description of the recipe in English, so you can explain to your family and friends the delicious dish you're serving them!
What kind of potatoes are best for latkes? ›
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.
How to keep latke batter from turning brown? ›
“Onions can help block oxidation by coating some of the potato cells” Don Odiorne VP of Foodservice said. That's why some cooks alternate adding potatoes and onion to the mixture rather than doing all the potatoes first.
Is latke Hebrew or Yiddish? ›
The word comes from the Yiddish latke, itself from the East Slavic oladka, a diminutive of oladya 'small fried pancake', which in turn is from Hellenistic Greek ἐλάδιον eládion, '(olive) oil', diminutive of Ancient Greek ἔλαιον élaion, 'oil'.
Why do Jews eat latkes at 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.
Why do Jews eat applesauce with latkes? ›
In addition to apples' lengthy Jewish history, applesauce enjoys another key advantage: It's not dairy, so it can be served with latkes cooked in chicken schmaltz, a commonplace in the old country.
Are latkes sephardic or ashkenazi? ›
Latkes are potato pancakes, perfected over the years by Ashkenazi Jewish cooks. They are a fritter made from a batter containing either shredded or mashed potatoes, eggs, and flour or matzoh.
Officially, though, a latke is simply a pancake—the word itself comes, via Yiddish, from a Russian word meaning "little pancake." Latkes can in fact be made from almost any vegetable, bean, cheese, or grain.
What country did latkes originate from? ›
The latke, it turns out, has its roots in an old Italian Jewish custom, documented as early as the 14th century. That, it seems, is where Jews first fried pancakes to celebrate Hannukah. Only back then, they were made of cheese.
What is traditionally served with latkes? ›
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.
Why do Jews make latkes? ›
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.
Is latke a yiddish word? ›
Rabbi Lapidus: A latke is a pancake and the word itself comes to us via Yiddish, likely from a Russian word meaning “pancake.” Yiddish is a language which was used by Jews in central and eastern Europe for several centuries before the Holocaust.
What is the best oil for crispy pancakes? ›
Coconut oil for the pan (vegetable or canola oil can be used as well)
What is the best oil for frying potato chips? ›
Canola oil (AKA rapeseed oil), known for its low levels of saturated fats and high smoke point, is a fantastic choice for deep-frying fries. Its light flavour allows the fries' natural taste to come forward while providing a crispy and golden exterior.
Is canola or vegetable oil better for latkes? ›
The best oil to cook latkes in is one with a high smoke point, like avocado, canola, peanut or sunflower oil, which all have a smoke point of 400°F or higher. Because latkes can take a while to cook, this ensures that your latke can have a nice crispy and golden exterior without getting burnt.
What is the healthiest oil to fry potatoes in? ›
Avocado oil contains large quantities of Omega-9 and Omega-3 fatty acids and is particularly high in oleic acid. Unsaturated fatty acids like these have been shown to lower bad cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. This makes avocado oil the healthiest choice when frying.
