Basic Latkes Recipes

BASIC LATKES

Steps:

• Scrub the potatoes clean, then coarsely grate (skin and all). Peel and finely slice the onion (if using).
• Place in the middle of a clean tea towel and wring out the liquid, then transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the flour and crack in the eggs, season with sea salt and black pepper, then mix well to combine.
• Place a large frying pan on a medium heat with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
• Shape small handfuls of the potato mixture (roughly the same size as a golf balls) into latkes, flattening gently, then carefully add to the pan - you may need to work in batches.
• Fry for 1½ to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper.
• Pick the herbs and scatter into the pan with the remaining oil. Fry for a few seconds until crisp, then remove to the kitchen paper before sprinkling over the hot latkes.

POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and grate them on a box grater. Wrap the grated potatoes in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Combine the potatoes in a bowl with the egg, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Melt the clarified butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Place a tablespoon of the potato mixture into the sizzling butter and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the pancakes over and cook for another 2 minutes, or until crisp on the outside and golden brown. Serve the pancakes hot from the skillet.

EASY POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine onion, salt, and pepper. Add eggs, and stir until incorporated. Add matzo meal, and stir until incorporated. Add potatoes, and toss until combined and evenly coated.
• Fill a large skillet with about 1/2 inch oil. Place over medium heat until oil is almost smoking. (To test, drop a small bit of batter into the skillet; it should sizzle upon contact.)
• Working in batches so as not to crowd skillet, carefully spoon about 2 tablespoons batter into oil for each latke. Lightly tamp down to flatten. Cook, turning once, until golden on each side, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to a paper-towel-lined wire rack to drain. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately with sour cream and applesauce.

EASY BASIC PANCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees; have a baking sheet or heatproof platter ready to keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine).
• Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub skillet with oiled paper towel.
• For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet).
• Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. Continue with more oil and remaining batter. (You'll have 12 to 15 pancakes.) Serve warm, with desired toppings.
• BUTTERMILK: In step 1, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to dry mixture. In step 2, replace the milk with low-fat buttermilk.
• YOGURT: In step 1, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to dry mixture. In step 2, replace the milk with 2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt and 1/3 cup milk.
• WHOLE-GRAIN WITH YOGURT: In step 1, replace the all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup each cornmeal and wheat germ, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. In step 2, replace the milk with 2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt and 1/3 cup milk.

CLASSIC POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Using a food processor with a coarse grating disc, grate the potatoes and onion. Transfer the mixture to a clean dishtowel and squeeze and wring out as much of the liquid as possible.
• Working quickly, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the eggs, flour, salt, baking powder and pepper, and mix until the flour is absorbed.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat, pour in about 1/4 inch of the oil. Once the oil is hot (a drop of batter placed in the pan should sizzle), use a heaping tablespoon to drop the batter into the hot pan, cooking in batches. Use a spatula to flatten and shape the drops into discs. When the edges of the latkes are brown and crispy, about 5 minutes, flip. Cook until the second side is deeply browned, about another 5 minutes. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and sprinkle with salt while still warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.

POTATO LATKES I

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.
• In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt together.
• In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot!

GOOD OLD FASHIONED PANCAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
• Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

SUPER SIMPLE LATKES (POTATO PANCAKES)

Steps:

• Defrost grated potatoes in a medium-size colander. Press with paper towels to remove excess moisture. There won't be much.
• Add onion, eggs, salt, pepper and flour. Mixture should be thick and cohesive.
• Pour about 1/4 inch of oil into a heavy-bottomed frying pan. I use an electric frying pan at 375 so it doesn't get too hot and burn the latkes.
• Use about 2 Tablespoons potato mixture and place in the oil and press into a patty.
• Fry for about 3 minutes. Flip and fry for another 3 or so minutes. If pancake cooks too fast, reduce oil's temperature. If it takes longer, turn the oil up so they don't get soggy. Repeat with remaining potato mixture.
• Drain on paper towels and serve immediately, or keep in a 250 oven on a baking sheet.

EASY POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together potatoes, eggs, onion, flour, salt and pepper.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Drop large spoonfuls of the potato batter into the skillet and flatten cakes slightly with a spatula. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve immediately.

BASIC POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Grate potatoes alternately with the onion (this keeps the potatoes from darkening), either by hand or in a food processor. With a food processor, either use a fine shredding disk, or cut the potatoes in half-inch dice, and then use the steel blade with an on-off pulse motion to yield uniformly grated potatoes.
• Drain potatoes and onions.
• Mix in eggs, then matzo meal or flour. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour oil into a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, to a depth of 1/4 inch, and heat. Oil should be very hot but not smoking.
• Using a large tablespoon, form round or oval pancakes about 3 inches across, flattening them in the pan with the back of the spoon. Fry until golden on both sides.
• Drain pancakes on absorbent paper, and continue frying until all the batter is used. Serve as soon as possible. Pancakes can be reheated in a 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes but will not be as crisp.

CLASSIC POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Coarsley grate the potatoes and onion into a large bowl, or use a food processor with a coarse grating blade. Leave the mixture to rest for about 15 mins so the liquid releases from the onions and potatoes. Carefully drain off the liquid for about 30 mins until the mixture is dry, then put in a cheese cloth and squeeze out the remaining liquid.
• Add the eggs, flour, 1 tsp sea salt and pepper, and mix well. Pour the oil into the pan so that it is 2-3cm deep. Set over a medium heat for a few minutes until it ripples.
• Carefully spoon in the mixture to the size you want - 2 tbsp for large latkes or 1 tbsp for small. Fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, and cook on each side until browned for 2 mins. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper, then season with a sprinkling of salt. Serve with the soured cream and smoked salmon, finished with a sprinkling of chives, or just apple sauce - both are traditional.