Recipe: Mark Bittman’s Latkes

Photo: Lynn Gardner’s latkes on Flickr

The eight nights of Hannukah are only one day away! If you’re still mulling over what to make, the New York Times’ Mark Bittman has two latke recipes for you.

One uses onions, matzo meal and eggs to fill out and bind the pancakes. The other is simpler: just potatoes, oil, and salt, though Bittman says you can add parsley and garlic to either.

Garlic latkes? That would never fly – or fry – in my family, but holiday traditions bring out strong feelings. What’s your master latke recipe?

Bittman has more deep-frying advice below. You can also click here to learn how to make potato nik. It’s one giant latke that feeds four to six people.

Mark Bittman’s Latkes

Version I

My grandmother, and then my mother, made latkes (potato pancakes for you non-Yiddish speakers) and, perhaps, even more interesting, potato nik.

In every case, they all had the same ingredients: potatoes, grated, or really shredded (my grandmother did this by hand; I sometimes use a food processor); onions, a fair amount, grated more finely; an egg, some matzo meal (bread crumbs or flour would be fine too), salt, pepper, and oil for frying.

There are some fine points. You can squeeze the water out of the potatoes; you can use more or less egg, and more or less matzo meal (I like less of each, which gives you a lacier, spidery kind of latke, which I prefer.) The nik takes all the batter and cooks it at once, which makes the whole process easier, though the crust is never as good.

Many years ago, after I had grown up a little, I learned from the great Pierre Franey that you can make potato pancakes with nothing more than potatoes, as long as your potatoes are starchy enough. This was a revelation, and I still like them that way. My adaptation of Pierre’s recipe is below.

Yield: 6 servings

Time: 20 to 40 minutes

Ingredients

About 2 pounds baking potatoes, such as Idaho or Russet, peeled

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons any oil or butter

Method

1. Grate the potatoes by hand or with the grating disk of a food processor; drain very briefly, pressing lightly. Mix in salt.

2. Heat the oil or butter over medium heat, preferably in a large, seasoned cast-iron or non-stick skillet. Drop potatoes in by large spoonfuls, flattening the pancakes with the back of the spoon. Don’t try to turn them until they’re brown and crisp on the first side.

3. Turn and continue cooking until brown and crisp on the second side, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Or put the whole batch of potatoes in the pan at once; when the underside is brown (it will take 10 to 15 minutes), slide the pancake out onto a plate. Cover with another plate, then invert the two plates. Return to the pan, uncooked side down, and finish cooking. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Version II

Yield: 6 servings

Time: About 40 minutes

These are the traditional latkes, served in many Jewish households during Chanukah. They are excellent with any meat served with gravy, or with applesauce or sour cream.

Ingredients

About 2 pounds baking potatoes, such as Idaho or Russet, peeled

1 medium onion

2 eggs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons plain bread crumbs or matzo meal

Canola or other neutral oil as needed

1. Grate the potatoes by hand or with the grating disk of a food processor. Drain in a colander or strainer; grate the onion. Preheat the oven to 200dgF.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the salt, pepper, and bread crumbs or matzo meal; stir in the potatoes and onion.

3. Place a 1/8-inch layer of oil in a large, deep skillet and turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot, drop the potato batter into it by the quarter-cup or large spoon. Cook until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes per pancake. Drain pancakes on paper towels and keep warm in the oven until all of them are finished. Serve hot, with sour cream or applesauce.