Sure Hanukkah is a couple of months away, but now’s the time to perfect your latke making skills. Latkes are potato pancakes that are eaten on Hanukkah and served with toppings like ketchup, sour cream, or applesauce. Not all latkes are equal and the secret to tasty latkes is making them crispy. Here’s how to make extra crispy latkes this holiday season.
Use the Right Potato
It all starts with the right potato and in this case it’s russet potatoes because they’re big, starchy, and easy to shred.
Shred Smart
A crispy latke begins with shredding the potatoes correctly. Make sure you use the coarse blade side of the box grater and shred the potatoes into ice cold water to prevent browning. While you’re at it, grate white onions with the fine blade side for a nice crispiness to the latkes.
Remove as Much Liquid as Possible
Squeeze out as much water as you can from the potato shreds. Start by draining the potatoes in a colander and then transfer them to a bowl lined with a clean flour sack towel or cheesecloth. Wrap and squeeze until no more water comes out.
Oil
For latkes, corn oil is best and make sure it’s hot before adding the latkes to the pan.
Press Them Flat
Scoop out the portion of potato mixture and put it in the palm of your hand. Press it between your hands to squeeze out excess eggs or liquid before putting it into the pan. Then when you put the pancake into the pan, flatten it a bit.
Pay Attention to the Temperature
Start by cooking your latkes over medium-high and if they’re getting too brown, reduce the heat to medium-low to avoid burning. When the latkes are golden, take them out of the pan and move them to a 200 F oven to keep them crispy while the rest of your batch is frying.
