2000s Recipes + Menus

Potato Latkes

Makesabout 32 Latkes
  • Active Time:1 hr
  • Start to Finish:1 hr
It's no secret that kids go crazy for crisp, fried potatoes. Serve them these classic latkes and you'll be giving them exactly what they want.
December 2007
  • 2 lbs large russet (baking) potatoes (about 4)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large onion (1 lb)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • Preheat oven to 250°F with rack in upper third.
  • Peel potatoes and coarsely grate into a bowl using large teardrop-shaped holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with medium shredding disk. Add lemon juice and toss to coat.
  • Coarsely grate onion into same bowl. Transfer to a kitchen towel (not terry cloth), then gather up corners to form a sack and twist tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible.
  • Wipe bowl clean, then return potatoes and onion to bowl and stir in flour, eggs, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt until just combined.
  • Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Fill a 1/4-cup measure halfway with latke mixture and carefully spoon it into skillet, then flatten to 3 inches in diameter with a slotted spatula.
  • Form 5 more latkes in skillet and fry until undersides are deep golden, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. (If latkes brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium.) Turn over and fry until deep golden all over, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly, then transfer to a metal rack set in a baking pan and keep warm in oven. Make more latkes.
Cooks’ note: Latkes can be kept warm in oven up to 1 hour.
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