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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
Your pancakes could be falling apart for a few different reasons. First, your mashed potatoes might have been too loose or runny. Or, you didn't add enough flour or eggs to the batter. Finally, undercooking the potato pancakes can lead to them falling apart.
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.
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.
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.
You might also be crowding your latkes when you cook them — you want to use a large pan and make sure your latkes don't touch when they're cooking (otherwise they'll steam instead of crisping up). Additionally, your oil might not be hot enough.
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.
Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, wring out as much moisture as possible. If you don't drain the moisture, they won't crisp as easily and that may be why your potato pancakes are gummy.
Hash browns are shredded potatoes, fried (or air-fried), til golden brown. They typically remain loose, or in shreds. Latkes, a.k.a potato pancakes, are grated or ground potatoes that are mixed with egged, flour, or other binding agents. They are one piece, like a pancake.
Latkes are basically Jewish hash browns. Traditionally served around Hanukkah (our Festival of Lights), these shallow-fried potato pancakes can be dressed up or served simply as a perfect comfort food.
A latke is a small pancake usually made with grated potatoes. Latkes are traditionally eaten during Hanukkah. Most latkes are crispy little potato pancakes that are served with apple sauce or sour cream during the eight days of Hanukkah.
Boxty is different from other potato pancakes or latkes, and you'll see that once you bite into one and notice the crispy hash brown-like outside and soft, dough-like inside.
"The flavor is potato, really just salty in a good way, maybe a little hint of onion. It's really just a nice fried, crispy soft potato with a little salt." This, of course, is the simple and traditional latke. As a cookbook author and food blogger, Kritzer gets creative with her latkes, too.
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Introduction: My name is Roderick King, I am a cute, splendid, excited, perfect, gentle, funny, vivacious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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