Latkes: Classic + Vegan
Makes about 20 - 30 latkes, depending on size
Time: About 30 to 40 minutes.
Ingredients
2 ½ pounds Russet potatoes, peeling optional
2 large onions, grated
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ to ½ cup matzo meal or all purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
a pinch black pepper
a pinch baking powder (optional)
neutral oil such as Canola or soybean oil.
Sour cream, applesauce, or any other toppings you like, to serve. I personally like labneh spiked with a bit of harissa.
Directions
Use a box grater to grate the potatoes directly over a clean, dry towel. As the pile of potatoes grows, you can dump them into a large mixing bowl, taking care not to add much potato water.
Next, grate the onion directly into the bowl of potatoes.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, add the matzo meal, salt, pepper, and baking powder, if you’re including it.
Heat several about ¼ cup of oil in a pan over medium heat. There should be enough oil to thoroughly coat the pan - a puddle of oil that will cook the sides of the latkes as they fry, but not so much that it splashes.
Form the mix into golfball-sized pieces and gently flatten them in your hands, squeezing out a bit of water before carefully placing them in the oil. The less moisture in the mix, the better (and safer!) the frying will be.
You can cook several latkes at a time but don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook on each side until a golden crust forms, about 2 to 3 minutes.
When they’re done cooking, let them cool on a wire rack (better drainage than paper towels, but in the absence of a wire rack, paper towels will certainly help!) and serve warm.
Vegan Latkes
Makes 1 large latke, serves 4
Time: About 30 minutes
Ingredients
3 ½ cups shredded potatoes
2 scallions, very thinly sliced
about 2 teaspoons kosher salt
olive oil for frying
Serve with your choice apple sauce and/or vegan sour cream
Directions
Mix the salt into the potatoes and wring them out in a clean, dry towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
Put ¼” inch of olive oil into a small pan at room temperature. Spoon the shredded potatoes into the oil, using the end of a spatula to help form them into a thick pancake shape. The single latke should take up the entirety of the pan. Flatten is down to compact it slightly, while taking care not to smash it into something extremely dense.
Turn the burner on and cook at medium heat, leaving the latke untouched until you begin to see a gold, then brown crust begin to form - around 10 minutes.
Once the crust has formed, transfer the latke to a plate and replenish the oil.
With the cooked side facing up, gently slide the latke into the pan.
Cook for about 8 more minutes - both sides should be a deep, dark brown with a few spots of char.
Cut into wedges and serve warm.