Cooks Illustrated Thick and Creamy Potato Latkes
Matzo meal is a traditional binder, though we found that the pancake’s texture does not suffer without it. Applesauce and sour cream are classic accompaniments for potato latkes.
Makes approximately 14 3-inch pancakes
2 | pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or russet potatoes, peeled |
1 | medium yellow onion , peeled and cut into eighths |
1 | large egg |
4 | medium scallions , white and green parts, minced |
3 | tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves |
2 | tablespoons matzo meal (optional) |
1 1/2 | teaspoons table salt |
Ground black pepper | |
1 | cup vegetable oil for frying |
1. Grate potatoes in food processor fitted with coarse shredding blade. Place half the potatoes in fine mesh sieve set over medium bowl and reserve. Fit food processor with steel blade, add onions, and pulse with remaining potatoes until all pieces measure roughly 1/8 inch and look coarsely chopped, 5 to 6 one-second pulses. Mix with reserved potato shreds in sieve and press against sieve to drain as much liquid as possible into bowl below. Let potato liquid stand until starch settles to bottom, about one minute. Pour off liquid, leaving starch in bowl. Beat egg, then potato mixture and remaining ingredients (except oil), into starch.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1/4-inch depth of oil in 12-inch skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Working one at a time, place 1/4 cup potato mixture, squeezed of excess liquid and pressed into 1/2-inch thick disc, in oil. Press gently with nonstick spatula; repeat until five latkes are in pan.
3. Maintaining heat so fat bubbles around latke edges, fry until golden brown on bottom and edges, about three minutes. Turn with spatula and continue frying until golden brown all over, about three minutes more. Drain on a triple thickness of paper towels set on wire rack over a jelly roll pan. Repeat with remaining potato mixture, returning oil to temperature between each batch and replacing oil after every second batch. (Cooled latkes can be covered loosely with plastic wrap, held at room temperature for 4 hours, transferred to a heated cookie sheet and baked in a 375-degree oven, until crisp and hot, about 5 minutes per side. Or, they can be frozen on cookie sheet, transferred to zipper-lock freezer bag, frozen, and reheated in a 375-degree oven until crisp and hot, about 8 minutes per side). Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
JB Tips/Modifications:
I always use the Matzo Meal as it makes it easier to handle the sometimes very wet mixture.
Using potatoes other than Yukon Gold or Russet will DEFINITELY change this recipe. All potatoes are not created equal.
Using a Cuisinart or other method that makes strings of potatoes versus small bits definitely is the key to the recipe.
Squeezing the maximum amount of water out of the mixture so they don’t fall apart while cooking is extremely important.
I make the ¼ cup squeezed mixture into balls and let them rest on paper towels before flattening and placing in the hot oil.
Dicing the onion before using food processor greatly reduces the chances of big pieces of onions using the pulse method below. Pulsing too long will leave you with a very wet mess so I sometimes pulse just the potatoes to 1/8 inch and mix in the already diced onions by hand.
DON’T SKIMP ON ONIONS as they contain a compound that reduces the browning of raw potatoes. Be sure to mix in thoroughly after grating potatoes. After finishing Step #1 you could cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for awhile until ready to cook.
Don’t try to cook more than 5/6 at once as it definitely changes the temperature of the oil and makes cooking times much longer. Raising temp on a larger batch works but you run the risk of over cooked outsides and undercooked insides. You could use this higher heat method if you intend to freeze them for later use by removing them just as the outsides look ready. This way the inside will be further cooked upon reheating.I have done this, frozen them as detailed above and used months later. They are still great but never as good as fresh.
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