Latkes 101: How to make the best potato pancakes (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between potato pancake and latke? ›

Potato pancakes have a creamy, almost mashed-potato-like center, with a thin, golden, crisp exterior. Latkes, on the other hand, should have a deeply browned crust, with wispy, lacy edges. Latkes also aren't hash browns.

The sweet tang of applesauce adds a contrasty punch to the potatoes and green onions, which make up latkes, while also cutting the grease from frying them. On the other hand, sour cream, while also adding its own version of tartness, can weigh the fried potato cakes down with dairy.

Vegetable oil or canola oil is usually best, because of its high smoking point. Latkes were traditionally made with schmaltz, or chicken fat, so if you have access to it, you should certainly add it in, because it does contribute to the flavor.

Tart and fruity applesauce—unsweetened is best—cuts through the grease and lightens them right up, leaving you feeling perfectly satisfied, but not stuffed. Sure, sour cream is tart too, but since it's dairy, it can weigh down the latkes—adding unwanted heft to an already filling meal.

Get That Moisture Out. Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, wring out as much moisture as possible. If you don't drain the moisture, they won't crisp as easily and that may be why your potato pancakes are gummy.

The key to perfect texture is to wrap the grated potatoes in a tea towel and wring as much liquid out as possible before mixing and frying. To keep a consistent deep golden brown on all the latkes while cooking, adjust the heat to maintain the oil temperature and avoid the latkes browning too quickly.

Potato pancakes may turn out mushy if there is too much moisture in the potatoes or if the batter is too wet. To prevent this, be sure to thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid from the grated potatoes using a kitchen towel or cheesecloth before mixing them with the other ingredients.

You can deep-fry latkes, but most recipes call for shallow-frying them in a skillet. One recipe I love instructs to “heat ¼ cup oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.”

Opt for a Russet Potato

The key to a crispy, crunchy latke is starch. Different potato varieties have different amounts of starch, and russets are the starchiest spud of them all. For this reason, your best potato option for latkes is a cheap, humble russet.

“Onions can help block oxidation by coating some of the potato cells” Don Odiorne VP of Foodservice said. That's why some cooks alternate adding potatoes and onion to the mixture rather than doing all the potatoes first.

Can I prep latkes ahead of time? ›

There are a few ways around all this. First, you can do what I did and marry a man who will fry the latkes while you host the party. Or, you can grate the potatoes hours ahead and store them submerged in water in the refrigerator. Drain them well and make the batter up to two hours ahead.

A latke (Yiddish: לאַטקע latke; sometimes romanized latka, lit. "pancake") is a type of potato pancake or fritter in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah.

Latkes are basically Jewish hash browns. Traditionally served around Hanukkah (our Festival of Lights), these shallow-fried potato pancakes can be dressed up or served simply as a perfect comfort food.

These potato pancakes (called latkes) are meant to symbolize the miracle of Hanukkah, when the oil of the menorah in the ransacked Second Temple of Jerusalem was able to stay aflame for eight days even though there was only enough oil for one day. The symbolism comes in the form of the oil in which latkes are fried.

Historically, Jews in Central and Southern Europe cooked kaese (cheese) latkes, and Jews in Eastern Europe made latkes from buckwheat or rye flour.