Best Crispy Potato Latkes Recipes

CRISPY POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large mixing bowl with a clean dish towel. Position the box grater in the bowl and grate the potatoes and onion using the largest holes. Bundle the towel and wring out the excess water into the bowl. The more moisture you release, the crispier the latkes will be. Discard the liquid.
• Heat duck fat, schmaltz, or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350 degrees F). Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix grated potatoes and onion with 2 eggs, flour, matzo meal, and salt until there's no visible flour. If the mixture seems dry and it's not holding together, add one more egg.
• Using your hands, form the latke mixture into golf ball-sized balls, then flatten slightly into thick pancakes. Gently place them one at a time into the oil, which should bubble around the latke but not burn the edges. Fill the pan with just enough latkes so they don't overcrowd the pan (you'll probably get about a half-batch in). Fry until golden on one side, 1-2 minutes. Flip and fry the other side until golden, 1-2 more minutes.
• Remove latkes to a wire rack fitted over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Finish cooking the inside by baking, 10-12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with sour cream and applesauce.

KITTENCAL'S CRISPY POTATO AND GREEN ONION PANCAKES (LATKES)

Steps:

• Grate the potatoes using a the coarse side if the grater or use a food processor.
• Place into a large bowl and cover with cold water.
• Allow the grated potatoes to soak for at least a minimum of 8 hours or even up to 2 days.
• Using your hands firmly squeeze handfuls of the grated potatoes to remove as much liquid as possible, then place in a large mixing bowl.
• Add in egg, flour, seasoned salt and pepper; mix well with a wooden spoon, then add in the green onions and parsley (if using).
• Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Place a heaping tablespoonful of the potato mixture into the hot skillet and using a fork, flatten slightly (the edges will be uneven!).
• Sprinkle with more salt if desired.
• Place only a few pancakes in the pan, careful not to over crowd.
• Cook until golden and crisp on both sides adding in more oil if needed).
• Repeat with remaining potato mixture.
• DELICIOUS!

JEWISH CRISPY POTATO PANCAKES (LATKES)

Steps:

• Using a food processor or a handheld grater, grate the potatoes on the large-holed blade, or side of the grater. Place the grated potatoes into a large bowl, and let them sit while they release their liquid.
• In another large bowl, mix the eggs and minced onion. With your hands grab handfuls of the grated potato and squeeze over the bowl with all the potatoes in them, squeezing out as much liquid as possible back into the bowl. Transfer the squeezed potatoes into the bowl with the eggs. Repeat until all of the potatoes have been squeezed and transferred. Stick your finger into the liquid left in the other bowl. You'll feel a firm layer of potato starch at the bottom. What you need to do is carefully pour off the liquid and then scrape up all that valuable starch from the bottom of the bowl and mix it well with the egg and potato mixture (best to use your hands). This natural starch helps bind together the potatoes. If there is only a tablespoon or two of the starch, you'll also want to blend in the matzoh meal or flour. Add salt and pepper (be liberal, the pancakes will be quite bland without enough seasoning).
• In a large skillet (or use two large skillets to make the cooking go faster), heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon or so of butter over medium heat until the butter has melted and the fat is hot. Swirl the pan, and then add spoonfuls of the potato mixture-as big or small as you wish-and gently press them into round flat shapes in the pan. Cook until golden brown and crisp for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. You'll need to keep a close eye on the heat; too low and they won't brown properly, too high and the oil will start smoking. Adjust it as needed.
• Drain briefly on paper towels, and transfer to a serving platter. Repeat until all of the potato mixture is used up, adding more oil and bits of butter as you need it (periodically you may want to dump out the pan, give it a quick wipe, and start over if you're finding that the oil is getting kind of dark and that too many bits of charred potato and onion are floating around). The potatoes will continue to release liquid as they sit; as you get to the bottom of the bowl, just give the potato mixture a quick squeeze before putting it in the hot pan to avoid splattering. And they will also start turning darker as they site, but when you cook them up it won't be very noticeable.
• Serve warm with applesauce and sour cream.

CRISPY POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Using a box grater, coarsely grate the potatoes lengthwise, and grate onions.
• Put the grated potatoes and onions together in cheesecloth or a towel and twist it to squeeze out all the excess liquid.
• Put the dry potatoes and onions in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to personal preference.
• Fold in the egg whites and chives to bind the mixture together.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and coat with 1/4 inch of oil.
• For each pancake, take about 2Tblsp of the potatoe mixture and drop into the hot oil; gently flatten with a spatula so they fry up thin and crispy.
• Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden.
• Remove to paper towels to drain, season with salt while the potato pancakes are still hot.
• Continue frying rest of mixture, adding more oil as needed, until all of the mixture is used up.
• Serve immediately with desired condiment (applesauce or sour cream), if desired.
• This recipe yields (about) 20 pancakes (4")each in size.