Can you provide me with a recipe for yummy potato latkes/pancakes?

A few tricks: I use a food processor to grate the potatoes, and I try to place the potatoes in such a way as to make the longest possible shreds, so that the latkes come out kind of lacy and crisp; I squeeze the water out of the potatoes by twisting them in an old pillow case. The dryer you can get ‘em the better. I think white onions taste best for latkes. I use very little flour or matzoh meal (again to make them lacy and crisp.)

I hope that you get your recipe.

I was in Chicago in the summer and had the best potato latkes along with a side shot glass of horseradish Vodka. De-licious.

Oooh, sorry: one egg, ½ white onion for each lb of potatoes, salt, fresh pepper, and, if you must, a very small amount of matzoh meal or flour after you squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Try to keep the oil at 375 f., add the potatoes to the pan in large spoonsfull, flatten with a fork, turn once.

I make mine in a pretty similar way to @pdworkin but if I’m not too lazy, I grate the potatoes by hand. I find the variation in the size of the shred makes for a better latke; howeve, I’ve gotten pretty lazy in latter years and the food processor is fine. Definitely squeeze as much moisture out of the potatoes as you can; I use paper towels. Lots of salt. They are best eaten as soon as they are cooked; try not to have to keep them warm.

Anyone up for a Chanukah party Friday night?

When you say a pound of potatoes, is that before the grating process?

Yeah. While they are still whole and unpeeled. It’s rough, though. The proportions don’t matter that much. I aim for a texture kind of like woven together “straw potatoes”.

BTW, if they look nice, I just scrub them and leave the peels on. I like the way it looks and it is more nutritious.

About 4 potatoes for @pdworkin‘s other ingredients, I would say.

Here is a different way: Cook the unpeeled potatoes in the microwave first, but not too long (just crumbly, not mushy) then cut them up with a fork, mix with some eggs (or Egg Beaters®),some diced onions and a little bit of Matza meal. Make into very flat pancakes and put on a foil covered cookie pan under the grill for a few minutes on both sides.

You all are making me hungry.

You could also make them from roasted and mashed sweet potatoes. Form them with a large serving spoon so that they are somewhat oval-shaped or even circular and toss them in some oil. You could add garlic or onion or an egg white for fluffiness.
These will be somewhat moister than @pdworkin‘s recipe and you might want to pre-form then, put them on a baking sheet and let the surface dry out just a tad. This will help with the browning process. Since the sweet potatoes are cooked, you don’t have to worry about the cooking process, just how much caramelization you want to get. I wouldn’t make then any thicker than a conventional latke.

About ten years ago there was a special on PBS about Hanukkah and an old lady made latkes in front of a large audience. She said that a latke is NOT a potato pancake, a latke is a latke.

Think about it.

SRM

@srmorgan I put pancake in case there were people who did not know what a latke was. Thanks for the recipe :).

@JLeslie
The story of Hanukkah has as its central point the tale that one day’s worth of sanctified olive oil burned for eight full days. So the latke is tied to the holiday because it is fried in oil. Potatoes cooked in butter or Crisco or lard (G-d forbid) just would not right for this holiday. It is the oil that makes the dish.

In Israel, the Hanukkah dish of choice are Sufganiyot, kind of like jelly donuts. This is an interesting feature from this week’s New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/dining/09appe.html?_r=1&ref=dining

I know a family that celebrated the link of Hanukkah and oil by going out for stir-fried Chinese food (Jews don’t really need an excuse to eat Chinese food).

SRM

@srmorgan LOL. Yes yes I know. That is why in my original question I mentioned the donuts :). I figure that even some gentiles might know a good recipe for latkes. Don’t worry I plan to fry in oil for the holiday; one night of not worrying about the diet (I’ll probably only do something special the first night). Thanks.

Maybe I will make egg rolls one night.

I love me some latkes! I miss them now that I’m no longer married to my Jewish ex. :(

One year for my kids pre-school, another mother and I made Hanukkah “donuts” by cutting Pillsbury biscuit dough in half, and frying them up in an electric wok! While hot and moist, we then shook them in paper bags with cinnamon and sugar. Really easy, and quite good, too.

Happy Chanukah everybody.

A gentile popping in to wish you all a Happy Chanukah!

Happy Chanukah to all.
Here on the East Coast, it is time to light the first candle and say the blessings.

SRM

@srmorgan The bit about the oil and the lights was a fiction added much later, deliberately, by Rabbis who wished for political reasons to change the moral center of the Channukah celebration which was the celebration of a successful insurrection.

@pdworkin Whhaaattt?? The oil story isn’t true? Then why is it celebrated for 8 days?

It has gained a sort of truth over the years, but no, it is not true, and the Rabbis who cultivated that tale knew it wasn’t true. They had an agenda.

@pdworkin Strangely sounds like most religious stories.

Seems like the Hebrew school version of the Macabee story “ain’t necessarily so.” Check out the David Brooks piece in today’s NY Times for more background. I’m still gonna light candles and make latkes when my kids come home next week.

My menorah is lit in the window. I find a great deal of meaning in the (inaccurate) tale, even though I know that it is historically inaccurate. I believe many deeply enjoy meaningfully celebrating Christmas without necessarily accepting the doctrine of the Virgin Birth.

@pdworkin And here I was thinking you were trying to be the grinch who stole Chanukah!

@janbb, Who are you, Dr. Seuss?

Any traditioned that has endured so many years is a nice thing, holds meaning as you said. Reminds us of the past and celebrates a bond between people.

@pdworkin Sure, and I wrote Green Lox and Eggs.

Happy Eight Crazy Nights, all!

I make it this way.

First squeeze excess liquid from grated potatoes using a kitchen towel. In a large
bowl combine potatoes, onions, flour, salt, egg and pepper. Heat oil in a nonstick
pan over medium heat. Spoon potato mixture into skillet, and cook until the edges
of pancakes are crisp and golden brown.

Here is a donut recipe too.
Oil
3 cups sugar
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
3½ cups unbleached flour
¼ cup cocoa
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Combine ¼ cup oil, 1 cup sugar, eggs and egg yolk in bowl and beat with electric mixer until fluffy.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir into oil mixture alternately with buttermilk. Heat 2 to 3 inches oil in heavy deep skillet to 340 degrees. Drop batter by tablespoons into hot oil and cook in batches until doughnuts are evenly fried, 2 or 3 minutes per side. Do not crowd pan.

Drain on paper towels. Roll in remaining 2 cups sugar.

@Lua_cara Thank you. I really want to try the donut recipe! :) Do you think it can be done without the extra yolk? My cholesterol is going up just thinking about eating one.