We make potato latkes every year for Hannukah. I use a Cooks Illustrated recipe using russet or yukon gold potatos. A food processor makes shredding the potatoes easy. Peeling the potatos is kind of a pain but goes quickly with a good vegetable peeler. A key is to get as much liquid out of the potatoes and saving the starch from the potato liquid and adding back as a binder. An egg with the starch hold together the potatoes. I like eating with both sour cream and apple sauce. The potato pancakes freeze well and can be reheated in an oven or an air fryer. 2 pounds of potatoes makes about 12 latkes. I would probably double the recipe and freeze half of the latkes. To get more liquid out of the latkes can wrap the potatoes in a clean dish towel and twist. Getting water our makes the latkes come together better. Also while frying batches keeping latkes in a 250 degree oven keeps them warm and crispy.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet or yukon gold, peeled
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2t salt
- pepper
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
Steps
- make sure the potatoes are peeled
- use a food processor with a shredding blade to shred the potatoes
- remove half and let drain in a sieve, saving the liquid
- replace the food processor blade with the standard steel blade
- add onions, pulse until all pieces are about 1/8 inch
- mix with the coarse potatoes and squeeze as much water out as possible
- can wrap in a towel and twist to get extra water out
- pour off the liquid saving the starch
- mix an egg into the starch
- mix the egg/starch into the potatoes and add salt, pepper
- heat oil in a 12 inch pan
- press about 1/4 cup of the mixture into a disc, add to oil
- cook about 5 at a time
- fry about 3 minutes until the bottom is turning brown
- flip each pancake and cook for about 3 more minutes
- place on cookie sheet and serve right away
