Potato Latkes Recipe

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Here is a great recipe for savoury potato pancakes.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion
• 3 lb russet (baking) potatoes (about 6)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• sour cream

Directions

1. Cut onion lengthwise to fit feed tube of a food processor, then grate with medium shredding disk. Transfer to a large bowl (do not clean processor).
2. Peel potatoes and put in a bowl of cold water. Cut potatoes lengthwise to fit feed tube, then grate and add to onions. Toss with lemon juice, then with flour, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Add eggs and stir to coat. Transfer to a colander set over a bowl (potatoes will release juices).
3. Preheat oven to 200°F.
4. Heat 1/4 inch oil to 360°F in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat. Using a 1/4-cup measure, scoop 4 or 5 mounds of potato mixture into skillet. Flatten with a fork to form 31/2- to 4-inch pancakes. Cook until golden brown, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven while making more latkes.
5. Cook until golden brown, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven while making more latkes.

COOKS’ NOTE: Cooked latkes can be frozen on a baking sheet, then transferred to a sealable bag or container and frozen up to 2 weeks. Reheat in a 450°F oven (about 5 minutes).

History of the Latkes

Latkes (Yiddish: לאַטקע) are traditionally eaten by Jews during the Hanukkah festival. The oil for cooking the latkes is symbolic of the oil from the Hanukkah story that kept the Second Temple of ancient Israel lit with a long-lasting flame that is celebrated as a miracle.

The word "latke" itself is derived (via Yiddish) from the Russian/Ukrainian word латка meaning "patch." The word לביבה leviva, the Hebrew name for latke, has its origins in the Book of Samuel's description of the story of Amnon and Tamar. Some interpreters have noted that the homonym לב levav means "heart," and the verbal form of l-v-v occurs in the Song of Songs as well.

Latkes need not necessarily be made from potatoes. Numerous modern recipes call for the addition of ingredients such as onions and carrots.[9][10] Prior to the introduction of the potato to the Old World, latkes were, and in some places still are, made from a variety of other vegetables, cheeses, legumes, or starches, depending on the available local ingredients and foodways of the various places where Jews lived.