Cookbook:Latkes

Latkes are potato pancakes, commonly associated with the Jewish cultural tradition in the United States and Europe. They can be and are served any time, but traditionally form part of the menu during the celebration of Chanukah. Eating potato pancakes is not one of the mitzvot of Chanukah; that is, it is not a fundamental part of the Chanukah rituals, and has no religious significance. It is seen as appropriate to eat foods cooked in oil during a festival that celebrates the miracle of the Chanukah oil. In Israel, potato pancakes are familiar and well-liked but the sufganiya (jelly doughnut) is considered to be more Israeli.

Various recipes for potato pancakes vary in the degree of fineness to which the potatoes are grated. Some are grated to long strips, others to a fine powder. Both latkes and potato pancakes bear a distant resemblance to the American dish hash browns; however, hash browns are merely coarsely grated potatoes with no binding ingredients or flour.

Ingredients

 * 4 large potatoes, peeled
 * 1 medium onion, peeled
 * 1 egg, beaten
 * 2 tablespoons matzo meal, cornmeal, or flour
 * Salt to taste
 * 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
 * Applesauce, sour cream, and/or sugar for serving

Procedure

 * 1) Grate the potatoes and onions.
 * 2) Place grated potatoes and onions in cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Squeeze mixture well to drain excess moisture, which will ensure proper frying.
 * 3) Mix drained potato and onion mixture with egg, matzo meal, and salt.
 * 4) Heat oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) pan over medium heat until it is quite hot. Drop 1–2 tablespoons of the potato mixture per pancake into the pan. Flip partway through the cooking to allow both sides to fry.
 * 5) Serve with applesauce, sour cream, and/or sugar as a topping.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * Variants include cheese latkes, zucchini latkes, and apple latkes.