This holiday season is like no other. Whether your are celebrating Hanukkah or Christmas, or both; these crispy potato latkes will bring joy to all-especially because they don’t have egg and are a hit with vegans.
Since we are all accustomed to entertaining at home and attending celebrations in the homes of loved ones, sharing these with others is a great way to stay connected.
So this year I made enough of these to drop off to friends with whom I’d normally be celebrating as a way to share the joy and light of the holidays apart-but together.
Ingredients ( makes about 35 latkas for 4 to 5 people)
5 lbs of Yukon or Russet potatoes
one large onion
salt and pepper
olive oil and canola oil ( I use a blend for flavor while the canola is better for frying)
Directions and equipment:
You will need a large, non stick frying pan and large cookie sheet lined with paper towels. If you don’t have the grater attachment for the food processor, alternatively use a hand grater. A helper is too in either case!
Scrub the potatoes (don’t peel)
Run through the grater attachment of you food processor or grate by hand
Peel,cut in half and thinly slice the onion
Sprinkle a tablespoon of salt over the shredded potatoes and sliced onions. Toss together. If it looks like its not producing enough water, add 1 teaspoon of salt at a time (do not be afraid, it will not be over salty) and always taste it to make sure it has enough salt .
Place all ingredients in a colander
The salt will extract the water from the potatoes. Throught the next 10 minutes squeeze the water from the mixture until dry. You will know that you have extracted enough water because the mixture will feel dense and will hold if you form clumps.
Add 2 tablespoons of EVOO and 2 of canola into a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Make sure you do not over crowd the latkas.
Cook for two minutes on each side and place flat on cookie sheet. Never pile or layer fried food as they will steam and lose their crunch.
Serve with apple sauce, sour cream, your favorite chutney or accompaniments and share the joy!
