- Mine look a bit thicker than the Magazine worthy photo below:) but I think I would try flatten them more next time to keep the crunch even more crispy!
Every Year I try a new recipe for Latkes but after last night I am going to stick with this one!!
It is a recipe from Bon Appetite and although I did not follow it entirely (I did not use chicken schmalts, I used more potatoes (Russet and Yukon Gold) Â and had very huge onions…the kind created just for shluchim:)…I also did not use breadcrumbs to keep them GF).
The process in which they suggest to strain the potatoes in a dish towel, and a fabulous way to keep heated in an oven, really made these top!
I will be making these every night and can’t wait to try it with scallions too! (My absolute favorite!)
Anyways, here is the recipe!
A freilichin Chanukah!
INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENTS- 3 pounds large russet potatoes (4-6)
- 1Â medium Vidalia, yellow, or brown onions (about 2)
- 2Â large eggs
- 1/4 cup fine plain dried breadcrumbs
- 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (or more) schmaltz (chicken fat; optional)
- 2-4 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil
- Applesauce
- Sour cream
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 325°. Peel potatoes. Using the large holes of a box grater or the grater disk on a food processor, grate potatoes and onions. Transfer to a large kitchen towel. Gather ends of towel; twist over sink and squeeze firmly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Open towel; toss mixture to loosen. Gather towel; wring out once more.
- Whisk eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, baking powder, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Add potato mixture. Using your fingers, mix until well coated. (Latke mixture should be wet and thick, not soupy.)
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Set a wire rack inside another large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons schmaltz, if using, and 2 tablespoons oil (or 4 tablespoons oil if not using schmaltz; fat should measure about 1/8 inches) in a 12 inches nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drop a small amount of latke mixture into pan. If the fat sizzles around the edges, it’s ready. (Do not let fat smoke.)
- Working in batches and adding more schmaltz and oil to skillet as needed to maintain 1/8 inches fat, drop large spoonfuls of mixture into pan, pressing gently with the back of a spoon or spatula to flatten slightly. (If mixture becomes watery between batches, mix to incorporate; do not drain.)
- Cook latkes, occasionally rotating pan for even browning, until golden brown and cooked through, 2 1/2-3 minutes per side. (If small pieces of potato floating in the oil start to burn, carefully strain out.)
- Transfer latkes to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, then transfer to prepared wire rack. Place sheet with latkes in oven to keep warm and crisp while cooking remaining latkes.
- Serve warm latkes with applesauce and sour cream  (use tofutti Sour cream when making Latkes with chicken Shmaltz) or omit Chicken shmaltz so you can serve with dairy sour cream.
I am too impatient to wait a full 5 minutes before I can empty my pan and add new latke batter. So, I do what you do, but…I only cook each side until it’s brown, which is less than 5 min. At this point, I transfer them to a cookie sheet and insert into a preheated oven which will continue the cooking of the middle of the latkes, all while I am adding new latke batter to the pan. 🙂 Also, for GF latkes, I use Arrowhead Mills GF Baking mix as the flour or breadcrumb or matzah meal replacement. Plus, it already has the baking powder in it. So, I get to skip a step, saving on time.
Thanks for the added tips!!Latkes sure are a favorite!…even on pesach:)