Latkes – Feel the Love

I recently had a party and by special request from my esteemed friend, Isabelle Grey made latkes.

The recipe I use and that I have amended is by the late, great Evelyn Rose and this particular batch was the best ever. Potato latkes are a complete pain to make, the house stinks of frying afterwards, they are obscenely unhealthy…but they freeze well and they are absolutely delicious.

Here’s the recipe with my additional notes.

Ingredients

3 large baking potatoes peeled (about 675g/1.5 lbs)

1 medium onion peeled (200g/7oz)

4 level tbsp. self- raising flour with ½ tsp of baking powder (or 4 level tbsp. plain flour with 1tsp baking powder)

1 level tsp salt

speck of white pepper

2 eggs

Any flavourless oil for frying

Method

Using a food processor grate the potatoes and onions using the course grating disc.

Put the potatoes and onions back in the food processor and pulse with the blade about four times.  Don’t pulse to mush – you want some texture.

Take handfuls of the potato and onion mix and put in muslin squares. Using all your strength, squeeze out the moisture. This is very important.

Put the flour, baking powder and seasonings in a mixing bowl, add the beaten eggs gradually stirring until you have a batter.  Then add the drained potato and onion and mix thoroughly.

Put oil to a depth of 1cm (½inch) into a heavy frying pan and when a little potato sizzles put tablespoons into the pan.

Evelyn Rose says one should flatten with the back of the spoon but I didn’t.  I slid the mix into the pan being careful not to introduce the frying oil into the pancake itself.

After three to four minutes turn over, then DRAIN before you take them out of the pan.

Make sure you don’t put too many latkes in the pan at the same time as this will lower the temperature.

And if you are making a big batch you may find you have to drain liquid off of the mixture again by using a sieve.

Allow to cool and then open freeze.

To reheat, arrange on baking trays and hat in a hot oven (230° (450°/Gas 8) for 6-7 minutes until really hot and crisp.