Latke FAQ's

[pscot]

Do you shred the potatoes or grate them fine?

Do you deep fry or pan fry?

Flexible or extra crispy?

Thick or thin?

Flour or matzoh meal for thickener?

Do you add baking soda?

Do you add extras like zuccini(shudder) or carrots?

[cbayer]

1. I hope some people weigh in here. My attempts have been utter failures

and I would love to have some advice.

[Melissa G]

2. our latkes

Last edited Sun Dec 9, 2012, 06:11 PM - Edit history (1)

Our latkes are shredded potatoes, finely chopped onions, eggs as binder and salt pepper. When this looks too wet, we have been known to thicken it with matzoh meal. No baking soda.

I have made these on a non holiday basis with carrots and zucchini and another time with sweet potatoes and ginger. They a fine for what they are, but they do not count as latkes for Hanukkah, IMHO.

edit to say pan fried is how I cook them. Good luck!

[pinto]

3. I've never made latkes. Had them only once at a friend's house.

Loved them - on the thick side, pan fried. On the plate they were toasted and crumbly, so I guess the potatoes were shredded. No clue to the recipe, though. A perfect side to lamb chops.

[elleng]

4. Grate,

JUST bought food processor for daughter, so she can do it next year!
pan
flexible (I get the crispies!)
Medium/varies.
Flour, w 'soda'
egg
onion
I don't add those things, but don't object; carrots good for sweetness???

HIGHLY labor intensive ADVENTURE! Squeeze water from potatoes after grated, then mix w stuff; do in batches.

[pscot]

6. That's pretty similar to our method

ex the soda. We flatten them out, like a pancake, but some go for this look.

[Warpy]

5. I grate potatoes because I like the long shreds

and also like to throw in left over mashed potatoes if I have them. My only real preference for latkes is that they have enough onion, otherwise they're just fast food hash browns.

[fizzgig]

7. grate them

with onion. drain/squeeze out the excess moisture. egg and matzo meal for binder. pan fried on the thinner side to get them nice and crispy. serve with applesauce and sour cream.

[pscot]

8. The kitchen is now

in a very high state of grease, as am I. Which is why we don't do this more often.

[surrealAmerican]

9. Shredded ...

... pan (griddle actually) fried, they are both crispy and flexible, relatively thin, matzo meal, no baking soda or other vegetables except onions.

The other "trick" is to squeeze out the potatoes after shredding (before adding to the egg mixture). You lose a lot of extra starch that way that would otherwise make the latkes soggy.

[Lugnut]

10. Grated.

They key is getting as much of the moisture out of them as is possible first. I use a little bit of flour to thicken them but Daddy told me to never, ever use baking soda in them. He grated a lot of onion into the potatoes and fried them in about a half inch of oil in a cast iron frying pan. Spread the batter out to make a thin cake and fry them until the edges are crispy. If you don't spread the batter out the edges will get done before the middle and they end up a soggy oily mess.

[Callalily]

11. I use a recipe from a

the December 2001 issue of Cooking Light. They are very yummy!

Latkes are pancakes made from potatoes and are traditionally served as a side dish during Hanukkah. Though they can be made ahead and kept warm in the oven, these latkes are best served immediately.

Cooking Light DECEMBER 2001

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 2 latkes)

Root Vegetable Latkes

2 1/2 cups shredded peeled baking potato (about 1 large)
1 1/4 cups shredded parsnips
1 1/4 cups shredded peeled sweet potato
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Combine first 4 ingredients in a colander lined with paper towels; let stand 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze excess moisture from potato mixture. Transfer potato mixture to large bowl; add onion, flour, and pepper. Toss well; stir in egg whites.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon 1/3 cup batter for each of 5 latkes into pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with 1 tablespoon oil and remaining batter.

[bif]

12. Secret ingredient=Nutmeg

I made a batch last night. They turned out great!

[msanthrope]

13. I made great ones on Saturday night---

Grate the potatoes into a bowl of cold water. When ready to make, take potatoes out by handful, squeeze then blot dry, and then carefully pour off water, saving potato starch, which is mixed with 2 eggs.

Pan fry in peanut oil.

Crispy.

Thin.

The only thickener is the potato starch. Egg is the binder.

No soda.

I add chives and shallots instead of onion.

[grasswire]

14. a way to get the water out...

....is to dump your grated potatoes into a clean tea towel and wring it tightly.