Fried Potato Latkes (Pancakes) for Chanukah with Easy Homemade Applesauce

heart shaped potatoPotato latkes are a frugal food. My father grew up in Poland and ate potatoes at every meal. And with latkes, it doesn’t matter if the potatoes are a little soft. Do cut off any green parts, though, as they contain the mildly poisonous solanine. for My mother made latkes all the time, not just for Chanukah. I love them.

Potato Latkes in the Food Processor

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 large potatoes, cut in quarters. Peeling is optional.
  • 1/2 onion
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs, wheat germ, or matzah meal
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Coat a pan or griddle with a layer of oil, an eighth of an inch thick.
  2. Place the potatoes and onions in the processor. Chop with the “s” blade until the pieces stop flying around. This should take about 20-30 seconds. Large pieces that aren’t getting processed should be carefully fished out and cut smaller.
  3. Add other ingredients and process briefly.
  4. Spoon onto very hot pan or griddle. Fry on each side until golden brown. Add more oil as needed. Avoid crowding the latkes.
  5. Serve with applesauce or sour cream.

Bonus applesauce recipe: Peel and slice 3-4 apples and place in microwave-proof bowl with juice of half a lemon. Heat on high until soft, stirring once. It should take about five minutes. Add cinnamon and nutmeg. Chop the cooked apples coarsely in the food processor, or just mash with a fork.

Happy Chanukah to all readers celebrating!

You may also enjoy:

Summer Fruit in the Microwave

Creative Pie Crusts

Microwave Myths

Photo credit: lovely petal

Comments

  1. A lichtige Chanukah to you and your family, and all your followers:

    I make my latkes by shredding the potatoes, adding to this the eggs and one potato that have been blended together with oil to make it creamy. Add whatever spices you want, i use only pepper and some salt. I don’t use flour or thickening of any kind, because the potato mixture like this needs none, and I am gluten-free. Turn when edges get brown and middle of latke is slightly on the raw side, and fry just a few minutes more. They are delicious when a bit soft in the middle and crunchy on the edges.

  2. This year I usedwhole wheat flour instead of bread crumbs and added baking powder. The latkes came out fluffy and looked great. The ones left in the fridge sort of deflated but were still very good later that day. None survived longer than 7 hours!

  3. Aviva_Hadas says

    I know, horrible question & not the point, but is there a baked latke recipe/method?

    (I dislike frying as a method – I really don’t care for the flipping/fatzing.)

    We got enough oil from the donuts – store bought! (I bought a few latkes too…)

  4. Sure you can bake them, Aviva. Not a horrible question! You could put the batter in muffin tins too.

  5. Risa and Nechama, thanks for the tips.

  6. Thanks for the great recipe! I used Risa’s suggestion and subbed whole wheat flour since I didn’t have matzoh meal. I also used egg beater since that’s what we had 🙂 They were delish and were a big hit at Hebrew school.

  7. Wonderful, Yonit!