Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

Latkes are the potato pancake that anchor the Jewish Hanukkah table and have rightfully crossed over into year-round comfort food. The recipe is short by design: two large potatoes, half an onion, an egg, salt, pepper, and just enough flour to bind. The fewer ingredients, the more the potato itself has to do the work.

The critical step is draining. After processing the potatoes and onion, squeezing the mixture through paper towels in a colander pulls out the water that would otherwise steam the latkes flat. A drained latke fries crisp on the outside and tender on the inside; a wet one ends up grey and limp.

Fry in hot oil at medium heat. Too hot and the outside burns before the center cooks through; too cool and the latkes soak up oil instead of crisping. They are ready when the bottom is deeply golden and the edges start to look lacy. Flip once and finish the second side.

Pro Tips

• Squeeze the drained potato mixture as hard as you can over the sink; even a little extra water means a flat latke.
• Let the squeezed liquid sit in a bowl, then pour off the water leaving the starch at the bottom. Stir that starch back into the potato mix for extra binding without more flour.
• Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like canola or grapeseed; olive oil burns and turns bitter.
• Keep finished latkes warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a wire rack so they stay crisp while you fry the rest.

Variations

• Mix in ½ cup of grated zucchini or carrot for a vegetable variation.
• Use sweet potatoes in place of half the regular potatoes for a sweeter, slightly softer latke.
• Serve with applesauce and sour cream side by side; the sweet-savory duo is the classic Hanukkah pairing.