Potato Latkes

In a culinary word-association game, the answer to “Hanukkah” would be “potato latkes.” The two go hand in hand, and have, for as long as anyone can remember. When the holiday begins at sundown tomorrow (December 11th), you can bet that folks in Jewish households throughout the land will be eating plenty of these fried, fabulous pancakes.

To paraphrase an old advertisement though, you don’t have to be Jewish to love potato pancakes. They are a ubiquitous favorite, and although Hanukkah is a traditional time for Jewish families to gobble them up, this is a dish that most people welcome year round.

Recipes for potato latkes abound, but the basic ingredients include raw potatoes, onions, eggs and a binding starch. Creating variations is a matter of mixing in a few additional ingredients such as chopped chili peppers, bell peppers, olives or sun dried tomatoes, grated Parmesan or crumbled feta cheese, corn kernels or chopped fresh herbs.

It’s the preparation that makes the real difference and distinguishes one kind of latke from another. In the old days women would grate potatoes by hand and squeeze out the tubers’ excess water in a kitchen towel. Red, irritated hands and chipped nails was the price they paid willingly for perfect latkes, tender and gently puffy on the inside and crackling crispy on the surface. This is how grandma made them. There are a few latter day stalwarts who still do.

Convenience counts too though, and why not? In modern times home cooks prepare the potatoes and onions using the shredding disk of a food processor, which makes short shrift of the vegetables and saves wear and tear. But there’s a price paid here too. Shredded potato batter doesn’t hold together as well as the old-fashioned grated kind. That makes the frying process messier and more difficult. And the latkes come out firm and crunchy, which may be terrific, and some people might actually prefer them, but they lack the delicate interior of the old fashioned ones. They’re not like grandma’s.

There’s a good way to compromise and still not have to do all the hard work: use the processor shredding disk first, then whirl the shreds in the work bowl using the S-blade. The batter will be as near to the grated one as you can get.

Another option is to make latkes using mashed potatoes, even leftovers. It’s not the classic Hanukkah style, but no one will care because they taste so good. Mashed potato batter latkes are soft and sumptuous. You can give them a crispy surface by coating the outside with flour or bread crumbs or make them ultra crunchy with Panko.

The biggest complaint about latkes is that they’re greasy. This problem is an easy one to fix. As with all fried foods, be sure to heat the frying oil sufficiently. Add a potato shred or breadcrumb to the pan and when it sizzles the pan is ready. Cook only a few latkes at a time; if you crowd the pan the oil temperature goes down and the potatoes absorb too much fat.

The best latkes are those that are fresh from the pan. The only person who actually gets to eat these is the cook or his/her spouse or partner who knows exactly when to come into the kitchen. That means you’ll have to reheat. That’s no problem either. When each latke is finished cooking, place it on a paper towel to drain. To reheat, put the pancakes in a single layer on a cookie sheet (preferably on a rack on top of the cookie sheet), leaving some space in between each one. Be sure your oven is preheated (to 425 degrees). Depending on whether the latkes are cold or at room temperature, reheating should take about 6-10 minutes; turn them once or twice during this time.

Traditional latke accompaniments are applesauce or sour cream but modern times and latkes may call for a new flourish or two. Perhaps homemade apple-apricot-pear sauce? Or consider a simple chive or horseradish flecked yogurt dip (mixed chopped chives or grated white horseradish with plain Greek yogurt), salsa, tzadziki, guacamole, cranberry sauce, chutney or even a made-up mango or pineapple lime relish as an extra.