Latkes, American-style potato pancakes
Latkes are a staple of New York Jewish cuisine. These Eastern European potato pancakes are crispy on the outside, tender inside, and traditionally served during Hanukkah. Learn how to make them at home with our recipe and tips.
A classic of Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, latkes arrived in New York with Eastern European Jewish immigrants who landed at Ellis Island. Traditionally served only during Hanukkah in December, you can find them year-round throughout New York at delis and restaurants serving Jewish cuisine, especially in the Lower East Side.
Ingredients for about 20 latkes
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) potatoes.
- 1 onion.
- 3 medium eggs or 2 large.
- 2 to 3 tablespoons matzo meal, or 2 tablespoons potato starch if unavailable.
- Neutral oil such as sunflower oil for cooking.
Tip: choosing your potatoes
- The right potato makes all the difference. Choose starchy varieties with low water content, such as Bintje, Manon or Estima. This will give you the best results when frying.
Tips for matzo meal
- You’ll find matzo meal at health food stores or Jewish groceries. If you can’t find it, buy matzo, let it dry slightly, then pulse it in a food processor to make breadcrumbs.
- Don’t use too much matzo meal, or your latkes will be heavy.
- If you don’t have matzo meal, use potato starch instead. Adding a starch isn’t essential, but it makes the mixture more compact, which helps you shape and fry the latkes evenly. With or without flour, the mixture shouldn’t be too wet, or you won’t be able to form the latkes properly.
Preparation and cooking
- 1/ Grate the potatoes.
- 2/ Let the grated potatoes soak in water. Potatoes contain a lot of starch; soaking removes it so your latkes won’t be sticky.
- 3/ While the potatoes soak, grate the onion.
- 4/ Squeeze out all the liquid from the grated onion using cheesecloth, a fine-mesh strainer or a chinois.
- 5/ Remove the grated potatoes from the water and rinse them.
- 6/ Press the grated potatoes firmly in cheesecloth, a fine-mesh strainer or a chinois to remove all moisture.
- 7/ Place the potatoes and onion in a bowl.
- 8/ Beat the eggs and add them to the mixture.
- 9/ Add the matzo meal or potato starch. If you like, you can also add chopped parsley or chives. It’s up to you whether you want plain latkes or flavored ones.
- 10/ Heat the skillet with about 0.5 cm (0.2 in) of oil.
- 11/ Form patties about 1 cm (0.4 in) thick with your palm and place them in the hot oil. Fry for 5 minutes on each side.
- 12/ Once the latkes are golden, transfer them to paper towels.
One more tip for an extra New York touch: serve your latkes with applesauce. You can also enjoy them with sour cream, which you can make yourself 48 hours ahead or buy from the dairy section. Enjoy!
Send us a photo of your latkes!
- Share your creations! Post photos of your latkes on our Destination New York Facebook group.
- Feel free to contact me if you’d like to submit a recipe. My email: patricia@cnewyork.net