potato latkes

Mikes mom found this recipe in the Boston Globe when he was a kid and from there, he was hooked.

This is a re-typed version his sister used for a school project--so adorable

She makes them every time he goes back home and they are delicious: crispy but fluffy and just slightly salty. I love to dip mine in sour cream (or the yogurt sauce I tried last night) but his standby is apple sauce. There are some habits of nine year old Mike that I won't try to change.

I did need to learn how to make them though--I had never even had latkes before we met. His favorite food and I can't make it? Not acceptable.

We tried a few times and I have to say it was one of the tougher recipes for me to tackle. Potatoes have a lot of water in them and if you don't squeeze it out, they won't fry or crisp up properly. Getting that outside crust is critical.

Last night I made a batch and was laser focused on getting them right. The verdict?

"Almost as good as my moms."

That I can live with.

Recipe is below, I make a slight adjustment to the one above by adding an extra tablespoon of flour.

potato latkes
4 potatoes, peeled and diced in large chunks
1 small to medium onion, peeled and diced in large chunks
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp of white pepper (regular pepper will do as well, you will just see the specks)
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
vegetable oil for frying

• grate potatoes and onions (or use your food processor which is easier and much quicker) into a colander and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. 
• there will still be moisture and I squeeze them again before frying so don't kill yourself, but try to get as much out as you can
• mix egg, salt, pepper, flour and baking powder in a bowl, add onion and potatoes and mix together
• preheat pan with about 1/4 inch of oil on medium-high heat
• tip: oil is hot enough when you flick a bit of water into it and it sizzles
• place mixture in a colander over a bowl and squeeze handfuls of the mixture to get the water out and then form into a cake and place in the oil
• press down slightly with a spatula and let crisp up--first batch may take about 5-6 minutes, later batches are quicker. you want the edges to be brown and crispy
• flip and press down, then transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. season with a bit of salt
• move to a foil lined baking sheet and keep warm in a 200 degree oven until all batches are cooked and ready to serve
• serve with sour cream or apple sauce, or my lemon herb yogurt, recipe below

lemon herb yogurt

3 tbsp fat free greek yogurt

juice of a half a lemon

a handful of chopped herbs-I like parsley and basil

salt to taste

stir ingredients together and serve over latkes, chicken, or thin it out with juice of a whole lemon for a creamy dressing!