Potato Pancakes [Latkes]
My formula is roughly this: a one-pound russet or baking potato to
one small onion, a large egg, quarter-cup of flour, teaspoon of salt
and a hefty pinch of black pepper. How many you yield has to do with
how big you make them; I aim for small ones (approximately three inches
across) and get about a dozen per batch.
But, if you’re not a formula person, here is a more official-like recipe:
1 large baking potato (1 pound), peeled
1 small onion (4 ounces), peeled
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Peanut oil, for frying
In a food processor or on a box grater, coarsely shred the potato
and onion. For longer strands, lay the potato sideways in the chute of
your food processor. Transfer to a colander or wrap in a cheesecloth
sling, and squeeze as dry as possible. Let stand for 2 minutes, then
squeeze dry again.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, egg, salt and pepper together.
Stir in the potato onion mixture until all pieces are evenly coated.
In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until
shimmering. Drop packed teaspoons of the potato mixture into the
skillet and flatten them with the back of a spoon. Cook the latkes over
moderately high heat until the edges are golden, about 1 1/2 minutes;
flip and cook until golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Drain on
paper towels. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture, adding more oil
to the skillet as needed.
Do ahead: Latkes are a do-ahead-er’s dream. You can also keep
latkes warm in the oven for an hour or more, if you’re waiting for
stragglers to arrive. Cooked, they keep well in the fridge for a day or
two, or in the freezer, well wrapped, for up to two weeks. Reheat them
in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven until they’re
crisp again. Bonus: If you undercooked them a bit or didn’t get the
browning on them you’d hoped for, you can compensate for this in the
oven.
