Pantry Cooking: Latkes
Wilson’s fatter latkes, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside!
Although we are months past the Festival of Lights, let us remember that Hanukkah is one of myriad observances at or around the winter solstice, the darkest time of the year in the northern hemisphere, and that these holidays look hopefully toward a return to light and life and a new growing season. And now, although the days are getting longer, we are metaphorically in a dark time, and we hope and pray for a return to light, to better days.
And while we are staying home as much as possible, many of us have been buying produce that will keep longer in storage, such as potatoes. Although you might not think of making latkes except for during Hanukkah, it’s a great way to vary the ways you can potatoes these days! Some people prefer their laktes thin and crispy all the way through, but my son, Wilson, likes to shape them so they are thicker in the center and thinner around the circumference, giving different textures in the center and the edge.
Latkes can be quite a project, but you can double or even triple the recipe since they freeze and reheat very well for future meals.
Latkes
5 medium potatoes, peeled if desired, but not necessary
1 medium onion
2 large eggs, beaten
¼ cup flour or fine breadcrumbs or matzah meal
Salt & pepper to taste
Canola oil for frying
Grate the potatoes and onion on the large holes of a food processor or a box grater. In several batches, take a large spoonful or two of the grated mixture and place on a clean dish towel. Wrap and twist the towel to wring out as much liquid as possible, then place the mixture in a large bowl. Wringing out the liquid is crucial! Continue until all of the grated mixture has been wrung out.
The thin version, draining on a paper bag!
Add the eggs, flour (or breadcrumbs or matzah meal), salt, and pepper and combine to mix well.
Heat a ¼ to ½ inch of oil in a large skillet. If you like thin latkes, use a large spoon, drop portions of the potato mixture into the pan and flatten to the desired size. If you like thicker latkes, shape them in your hands and place carefully into the oil. Fry until brown on the first side, turn and fry on the other side until golden brown. Remove the latkes to a tray lined with paper towel or a paper bag to drain any excess oil.
Be sure to taste one from the first batch to check the amount of salt and pepper, adding more to taste as needed. Add oil as necessary as you continue to fry batches of latkes.
Serve warm with applesauce and sour cream.
If you plan to freeze latkes, you need to make sure you have enough room to freeze them flat on a half sheet pan or in a large roasting pan. Line the pan with parchment or wax paper, and you can freeze several layers of latkes on one pan, as long as you separate them with parchment or wax paper. Then, once frozen, pack them in plastic bags or containers to conserve freezer space.
To reheat, preheat oven to 375°F. Place frozen latkes on foil-lined half sheet pan and bake until heated through. The timing will vary depending out whether you prefer thicker or thinner latkes, so keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t start to burn.