If you are unfamiliar with latkes, they are like a cross between a hash brown and a potato pancake. Latkes are commonly eaten throughout parts of Europe and the Middle East and in some cultures form necessary parts of ceremonial dinners.
They are perfect on their own or they can be enjoyed with a little fresh sour cream.
We however take it a step further and serve a poached egg or two right on top of a freshly made latke. The flavor combination is unreal, and the latkes form the perfect edible sponge to clean your plate so that you do not waste a single drop of egg yolk.
Best of all, latkes can be eaten with just about anything or any time of day. You can’t really say the same about hash browns.
Ingredients
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3 pounds russet potatoes (about 5 large)
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1 large yellow onion
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2 eggs
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¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
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3½ teaspoons kosher salt
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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4 tablespoons vegetable oil + more as needed
Instructions
1. Shred the potatoes and the onion using the large holes on a box grater. Place the shredded potatoes and onion into a large dish towel and tightly squeeze over the sink to extract as much liquid as possible.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, baking powder and pepper. Add the shredded mixture and stir to evenly coat.
3. Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch skillet. The oil will be hot enough when you drop a piece of shredded potato into the pan and it immediately sizzles. Drop large spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan, pressing lightly on the top to flatten them slightly. Cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack placed above a double layer of paper towels.
4. Repeat with the remaining mixture. If the mixture becomes watery between batches, stir together to incorporate. Additionally, add more oil to the pan as needed to keep a thin layer of oil covering the bottom of the pan.
5. Serve the latkes warm with sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh parsley, or applesauce.
Recipe source: Brown Eyed Baker
Photo source: Punchbowl
