Latkes

Ingredients

• 900g russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup (40g) matzo meal (or all-purpose flour)
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola, for frying
• Sour cream, to serve
• Applesauce, to serve

Before you cook

• Line a large bowl with a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth.
• Grate the potatoes and onion coarsely, using a box grater or food processor, directly into the lined bowl.
• Gather the towel around the grated mixture and twist tightly over the sink to wring out as much liquid as possible.
• Pour the squeezed-out liquid into a clear bowl or measuring cup and let it stand for a few minutes so the starch settles at the bottom.
• Carefully pour off and discard the watery liquid on top, keeping the white starch left in the bottom of the bowl.
• Add the reserved starch back into the squeezed potato and onion mixture.
• Stir in the beaten eggs, matzo meal, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.

Steps

1. Pour vegetable oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of about 5mm and heat it over medium-high heat.
2. Test the oil by dropping in a small bit of the batter — it should sizzle immediately.
3. Scoop a heaped tablespoon of the potato mixture and gently flatten it into the oil.
4. Repeat to add more portions to the pan, without crowding them.
5. Fry the latkes for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, until deep golden brown.
6. Flip each latke carefully and fry the second side for another 3 minutes, until golden and crisp.
7. Transfer the cooked latkes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
8. Keep the drained latkes warm in a low oven while frying the remaining batches.
9. Add more oil to the pan between batches as needed and let it reheat before adding more batter.
10. Serve the latkes hot, topped with sour cream and applesauce.