Potato Latkes

This Thursday, when most of us will enjoy Thanksgiving dinner, some will also be celebrating Hanukkah. There won’t be another convergence of both of these holidays for nearly 80,000 years! Although I am not Jewish, I do love potato latkes (potato pancakes) and am really thinking about making some and including them as part of the menu for Thanksgiving at my parents’.  I love potatoes in all their various  forms, french fries (my favorite!), hash browns, stuffed, etc. I’ve never made latkes  although  one of my friends has told me they’re not very difficult to make. After seeing this recipe, I think I will give it a go and make some!

Ingredients

1 pound potatoes

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil

Accompaniments: sour cream  and applesauce (I prefer sour cream)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Peel potatoes and coarsely grate by hand, transferring to a large bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander.

Spread grated potatoes and onion on a kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Twist towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in egg and salt.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4 latkes, spoon 2 tablespoons potato mixture per latke into skillet, spreading into 3-inch rounds with a fork.

Reduce heat to moderate and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn latkes over and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes more.

Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed. Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven.

(Image via PBS and recipe via Epicurious)