Every year a millions of Jewish families Making latkes .it is the one way in which the Hanukkah is celebrated. As a result of this, the tradition of making latkes is maintained in my family, and is typically a task that falls into the hands of my grandma. Every Hanukkah, my grandma’s latke recipe is used, whether the latkes are made by my grandma herself
The recipe is simple; first potatoes are grated and mixed with egg or some other binding ingredient, onions might be included in the mixture if desired. Afterwards, the potato mixture is formed into small circular pancake-like shapes. Finally, the pancakes are fried in oil until hot and crispy. Latkes are typically eaten dipped in sour cream or applesauce. Making latkes is a Jewish tradition that has been passed down for centuries, and has found itself in my family.
they are golden brown ,crispy adsometimes chewy when mom’s add shedred cheese.
Step-by-Step Guide to Easy, Simple Classic Latkes :
- Prepare your setup. Heat the oven and prep a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack, so latkes can stay warm and crisp. Prepare a paper towel-lined baking pan ready to receive piping-hot latkes for draining.
- Grate the potatoes and onions. Use the large shredding blade on your food processor to grate the potatoes and onions in seconds. A box grater works well too (it just requires some extra elbow grease).
- Squeeze the potatoes and onion. To get crispy latkes, the potato and onion mixture needs to be dry. A tea towel absorbs the liquid and starch, while cheesecloth lets it pass right through. Tie the cheesecloth around the handle of a wooden spoon for extra leverage in squeezing.
- Mix the potato starch, egg, matzo, salt, and pepper with the potatoes and onion. Use your fingers to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. The potato starch is slippery and wants to cling to itself. Be sure to work it into the potato mixture.
- Form latkes. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup, a fish spatula, your fingers, and a fork to form a flat, four-inch patty.
- Fry the latkes. Heat the oil (and schmaltz, if using) until latkes sizzle immediately upon entering the oil. Fry until each side is dark golden-brown.
- Drain and serve. Remove hot, crisp latkes from the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve or keep warm in the oven.
Serving Suggestion :
While the traditional way to serve latkes is with sour cream and applesauce, hot from the pan, if you want to stray from tradition, these crispy potato cakes are very versatile. Top heated leftover latkes with cooked greens and a fried egg with a dash of hot sauce, or a slice of fresh tomato and some lox.
How to Make A Traditional Hannukah Latkes !!
This is one of the most famous of Jewish foods and a specialty of Hanukkah. The latkes are served as an appetizer, as a side dish, and even for tea with a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar. They can be marvelous if properly prepared, just before eating.
Ingrédients
- 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (3 to 4 potatoes)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons matzo meal or unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup canola oil or chicken schmaltz, or a combination of both for frying
- Applesauce for serving
- sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- You will need 1 1/2 pounds of baking potatoes for this recipe. Russets are one variety of baking potato. This type is high in starch and has a dry, mealy texture. The dryness of the potato is part of what gives latkes their crispy texture.
- Heat the oven and fit one baking sheet with paper towels and another with a cooling rack. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 200°F. Line 1 rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Fit a wire cooling rack into another baking sheet. Set both aside.
- Prepare the potatoes. Scrub the potatoes well, but do not peel. Cut each potato in half crosswise.
- Grate potatoes and onion with a food processor. Grate the potatoes and onion using the shredding disk of a food processor.
- Make a cheesecloth tourniquet and squeeze liquid from potato and onion. Transfer the grated potato and onion onto a large triple layer of cheesecloth. Gather the corners and tie around the handle of a wooden spoon. Dangle the bundle over a large bowl, then twist and squeeze the potatoes and onion as hard as you can until no more liquid comes out of the potatoes and onion shreds.
- Pour off the liquid, but keep the potato starch. Give the liquid a few minutes to allow the potato starch to settle and then pour off and discard the liquid but leave the potato starch.
- Toss the latke ingredients together with your fingers. Add the potatoes, onion, eggs, matzo meal or breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper to the bowl of starch. Mix with your fingers, making sure that the potato starch breaks up and is evenly distributed with the rest of the ingredients. Set batter aside for 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil. Place the oil or schmaltz (or a combination of the two) in a large skillet so that when melted there is a depth of 1/4 inch (for a 10-inch skillet you'll need 1 cup of melted oil/schmaltz). Heat over medium-high heat until a piece of the latke mixture sizzles immediately.
- Form latkes one at a time. Scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture onto a fish or flat spatula. Flatten with your fingers to a 4-inch patty.
- Fry the latkes until golden on both sides. Slide the latke into the hot oil, using a fork to nudge the latke into the pan. Repeat until the pan is full but the latkes aren't crowded. Cook until deeply golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if necessary.
- Drain the latkes. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 2 minutes.
- Serve with applesauce and sour cream or keep warm in the oven. Serve immediately with applesauce and sour cream, or transfer the latkes to the wire cooling rack set in the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes while you continue cooking the rest of the latkes.
Notes
- Make ahead: Latkes are best made and served right away. They can be fried and kept warm in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and recrisp in a 300°F for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the latkes when reheating so they do not burn.
- Doubling: The recipe can be doubled, although you will need an extra sheet of cheesecloth to squeeze the extra potato and onion shreds. The oil (and schmaltz, if using) will need to be replaced halfway through frying. Pour the used oil into a heatproof bowl, wipe out the skillet, then heat fresh oil and continue frying.