This is a classic, perfect every time latke, but check out these Latke Making Tips to be sure you get it right.
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 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 dry.
To get crispy latkes, the potato and onion mixture needs to be dry. Use a strainer lined with a paper towel or a cheesecloth.
Fry the latkes.
Heat the oil (and schmaltz, if using) and make sure it's hot before frying. The latkes should 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.
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 re crisp in a 300°F for 5 to 10 minutes. Watch the latkes when reheating so they do not burn.
Doubling
The recipe can be doubled, but take care to drain them well. 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.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes 3 to 4 potatoes,peeled
- 1/2 medium yellow onion peeled and quartered
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons matzo meal or flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup choice of oil or chicken schmaltz or a combination of both for frying
- Applesauce and sour cream for serving
Nutritional Facts
Instructions
- Grate potatoes and onion with the shredding disk in a food processor. With a towel or cheesecloth squeeze liquid from potato and onion.
- Add egg, matzo meal, salt, and pepper to the potato/onion mixture. Mix and set batter aside for 10 minutes.
- 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.
- Place about ¼ cup batter into the hot oil. Flatten to form a latke. Fry the latkes until golden on both sides. Repeat until the pan is full but the pan is not too 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 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.
