Potato Latkes

Potato Latkes

Ingredients

5 lbs. potatoes
3 onions
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup oat flour
2 tsp. baking powder

Instructions

Peel and grate the potatoes and onions by hand. Drain in a colander to remove excess water. Pressing down on the mixture helps.

Transfer the potato-onion mixture to a large bowl. Beat the eggs and add them to the "batter." Stir in the flour and the baking powder. The mixture should look slightly thick.

To fry:
Add about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil (olive oil or canola oil) to a large frying pan. Add a small piece of the batter to test. One potato grating works well. While waiting for the oil to heat up, shape the batter into patties. The best way to do this is to scoop a golf-ball sized bit of batter into your hands, mold it and then squeeze the excess water out. Don't squeeze it all out, though, or the latke won't stick together. 

When the potato grating begins to sizzle, it's time to add the batter. Use the spatula to scoop up the latke and carefully place it into the hot oil. Turn the heat down to medium-high. It may take a little experimentation for just the right heat level. The latkes are ready to turn over when the sides are a golden brown. If the sides are brown but the middle isn't, that probably means the heat is on too high. After the latkes are flipped, continue to brown for another couple of minutes.

When both sides are browned, transfer them with a slotted spatula to a plate lined with paper towels. The paper towels will probably have to be changed a couple of times because of all the oil, so make sure to have plenty of them on hand. 

Notes

Keeping the grated potatoes mixed with the onions keeps the potatoes white. Otherwise they will turn a brownish-gray. 

Types of pans: cast iron works best, but teflon works just fine too.

The latkes can be kept warm on cookie sheets in a 200 degree oven. They are best and crunchiest when fresh.







Here is the original (totally not gluten-free) recipe that I've stained with latke batter over the years:



Hilarie's Potato Latkes

Serves 4-6     Serves 12-18    Serves 16-18

6 potatoes       18 potatoes      24 potatoes
            (note: use whiterose potatoes)
1 onion              3 onions          4 onions
2 eggs               6 eggs             8 eggs
1/2 c. flour          1 1/2 c. flour  2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt          3 tsp. salt      4 tsp. salt
1 tsp.b.powder  2 tsp. b. pwd. 3 tsp. b.p.
METHOD:
Grate potatoes very fine by scraping the peeled potatoes against the smallest hole opening on a hand grater.Use a grater with a handle and four sides that stands up to make it easier. OR grate potatoes in a food processor, using the steel blade.  Put the potatoes in the processor in small cubes with the onion, doing several batches at a time.  Drain each batch in a food strainer to remove the excess water. A mesh colander
works well.  Transfer the grated potatoes and grated onion to another bowl.  Beat the eggs and salt and add them to the potato/onion batter.  Stir in the flour and the baking powder.
TO FRY:
Heat vegetable oil in a fry pan.  Be sure to coat the pan well.  An electric pan works well or a regular pan on the stove.  When the oil sizzles (about 375˚) drop the batter by large spoonfuls into the oil.  Brown on both sides.  Drain on paper towels.  They can be made ahead and kept warm on cookies sheets in a 200˚ oven.  They can be made ahead, frozen, and re-baked.