Latkes

Just about every culture has its own form of fried potato, but latkes are something extra-special. Crispy-crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside, they’re basically the best parts of a hash brown and a potato pancake all rolled into one. Don’t be surprised if you’ve eaten 2 or 3 before they even reach the table.

Latkes belong to the canon of great Jewish dishes. They’re typically served at Hanukkah, where their fried nature points to the miracle that occurred when the oil in the menorah in the ransacked Jerusalem Tabernacle lasted for 8 straight days, without burning away. Every family’s recipe is a little different, and everyone will swear theirs is the best. While we’re not here to challenge anyone to latke cook-off, we think these would hold their own on any Hanukkah table.

Latkes are one of the quickest and easiest fried potato dishes to make. All the chopping happens in a food processor (if you hopefully have one!), and the mixture comes together in just a few minutes. It’s a pretty simple process, but there are one or two things to watch out for along the way. Don’t worry—I’ve broken it down so every step will be easy to master.

How To Make Latkes

INGREDIENTS

• Potatoes: Russet or Idaho potatoes are the way to go here. Their high starch content will help to bind the latke mix together.
• Onion: Yellow or white onion works great here.
• Egg: This recipe was tested with large eggs. The egg serves as the binder to hold the latke mix together.
• Matzo Meal: Essentially finely ground matzo, matzo meal helps to absorb any leftover moisture from the potatoes and the onion. Using just enough (but not too much!) is key to getting a latke with a fluffy center.
• Kosher Salt: I test all my recipes with Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you’re using table salt or Morton kosher, I recommend using half the amount called for in the recipe.
• Black Pepper: Always freshly ground!
• Oil: The oil in the menorah would have been olive oil, but don’t be tempted to use that for this recipe! I recommend a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable or canola oil.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Before beginning, I like to make sure all the ingredients as well as the equipment are prepped and ready to go. Once the potatoes are shredded, they'll begin to oxidize quickly, turning an unappealing brownish color—so you don’t want to take a break once you start.

Using a food processor fitted with the coarse shredding attachment, shred the peeled onion and unpeeled (but thoroughly washed) potatoes. I prefer using the food processor because it’s faster and more efficient (and also gives more even cuts), but if you don’t have one, a box grater will work too.

Transfer the potatoes and onions to the center of a big kitchen towel (or a cheesecloth, if you have one!). Gather the ends of the towel together and, holding over a bowl, twist the towel to wring out as much liquid as possible. Make sure the liquid goes into the bowl—you’ll want to gather the potato starch from the bottom of the bowl later on. This step is key to a fluffy latke: If the potatoes and onions are waterlogged, the latkes will be dense and gummy. Once you’ve wrung out as much liquid as possible, set the filled towel aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg until blended. Go back to the bowl the potato water drained into (it will be a very unappealing brownish color) and carefully pour off the water. Underneath, you’ll find a layer of white starch: that’s actually potato starch, and it will help the latkes hold together. Scrape it off the bottom of the bowl, add it to the egg, and whisk again to incorporate.

Untwist the towel and dump the potato and onion shreds into the bowl, then sprinkle over the matzo meal, salt, and pepper. Using a rubber spatula, fold everything together until it’s well combined.

Time to fry. I recommend using a cast iron pan for this, since it will help maintain a more consistent oil temperature. Add the oil until it reaches about 1/4" deep and place over high heat. Heat until the oil reaches 350°, or until a piece of latke mix sizzles immediately when it hits the oil.

To form the latkes, scoop 1/4-c.-sized portions out of the bowl and shape into patties about 3 1/2" thick. To place in the oil, place each patty on a heatproof spatula (I recommend a fish spatula for this) and slide it gently into the oil. You’ll need to work in batches; I usually fry 3 to 5 latkes at a time.

Fry the latkes until they’re golden-brown on the bottom, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature, for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side. Using the fish spatula, carefully flip the latkes to the second side and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.

When the latkes are cooked, transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt to finish. Serve with sour cream or applesauce—or just straight up.

Recipe Tips

• Set up for success: Before starting to fry, make sure you’ve set up a wire rack over a baking sheet for the latkes to land when they come out of the oil. Arrange some salt nearby (so you’ll remember to season once the latkes come out!) have an instant-read thermometer on hand so you can check the oil temperature if you need to.
• Use a cast-iron pan for frying if possible! A heavy-duty pan made from cast iron will retain heat better, allowing you to better keep the oil at a consistent temperature while you fry.
• Top it off: Latkes are famously topped with applesauce or sour cream, but you don’t have to stop there. If you’re making these for a crowd, you could even set up an entire latke bar, complete with smoked salmon, crème fraîche, pickled onions, capers, pomegranate seeds, honey...and the list goes on!

Storage

Like all fried foods, these latkes are best fresh. If you happen to have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.