The Crispiest Potato Latkes

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Do you wanna learn how to make the crispiest potato latkes you’ve ever tasted? Keep reading! We have some great tips, including some by one of the hottest chefs in the Philadelphia area!

Choose the right type of potato

Use a starchy potato like the Russet variety, instead of red or yellow potatoes. If you want crunch, starch is your friend!

Make sure to weigh the potatoes, so you’re measurements are accurate. If you don’t own a scale, weigh them at the market if and place each pound of in a separate bag.

Prepare your working station

Prepare a bowl of cold or ice water to place the peeled potatoes, so they don’t turn color. Chef Yahuda Sichel, from Abe Fisher in Philadelphia recommends shredding them when the rest of the ingredients are ready and the oil is heating up. This will keep the potatoes from oxidizing.

Shape all the potato latkes at once, so they’re ready to be fried. This way they will all cook at the same time.

More frying tips!

• Chef Sichel also recommends not squeezing the water out of the shredded potatoes. The starchy water makes the latkes really crispy!
• Use a cast iron skillet if you have one. If not, don’t worry! Any other skillet will work.
• Don’t crowd the pan. 4 potato latkes for a  7″ skillet is a good amount.
• Chanie at Busy in Brooklyn has a cool tip to keep the frying oil cleaner: simply that place a piece of carrot or a baby carrot in the oil. That’s it!
• For the recipe we are sharing today, we followed Chef Sichel’s advice on cooking the potato latkes 10 minutes per side. We fried them in medium heat. Because all stoves a different, make sure to test the temperature of the oil before frying. A good way to do it i to drop a small of latke mixture in the hot oil and cook it for 10 minutes per side. If it turns golden brown without burning, you have the right temperature.
• While testing this recipe, we noticed that spiralized potatoes make for even crispier latkes. Alternatively, you can shred them using a box grater or a food processor.

Here’s the ratio we used for our potato latkes: ( see full recipe below)

• 1 pound of potatoes
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp salt

For our vegan version:

• 1 pound of potatoes
• 1/4 cup vegan mayo
• 2  tbsp flour
• 1 tsp salt

To read more about Chef Yehuda Sichel’s tips, check out this great article on Food & Wine magazine.

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The Crispiest Potato Latkes

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★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Vicky & Ruth
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 20
• Category: Hannukah / Chanukah
• Method: frying
• Cuisine: Jewish

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Description

Do you wanna learn how to make the crispiest potato latkes you’ve ever tasted? Keep reading! We have some great tips, including some by one of the hottest chefs in the Philadelphia area!

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Ingredients

2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled

2 eggs ( see note above for our vegan version)

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp salt

3/4 cup oil for frying

A baby carrot or a piece of carrot to keep oil clean (optional) (read tips above)

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Instructions

1. Place the peeled potatoes in a large bowl and fill it with cold water. Set aside
2. Heat the oil in a skillet ( preferably cast iron), over medium heat
3.  Mix the eggs, flour and salt in a large bowl and set aside
4. Spiralize the potatoes (you can also shred them by hand or in the food processor), making sure to cut them into smaller strands
5. Add the potatoes to the egg mixture and mix well until the potatoes are well coated
6. Working with 1/4 cup of mixture at a time ( you may have to cut the strands shorten, again) form a loose ball and flatten it to form the latkes
7. To check if the temperature of the oil is correct, drop one small potato latke  on the skillet and cook 10 minutes per side. It should turn golden brown without burning. If it burns or is too dark, reduce the temperature; if it’s too light and soggy, increase it
8. Place the cooked latkes in a plate lined with 2 paper towels to absorb the excess oil
9. Potato latkes are best enjoyed when freshly made. To reheat, place them in a 300F oven until warm and crispy

Notes

We calculated calories based on how much oil the potato latkes absorbed while frying.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 potato latke
• Calories: 71
• Sugar: .3
• Sodium: 241
• Fat: 3.3
• Saturated Fat: 0.6
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.6
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 9.3
• Fiber: .8
• Protein: 1.8
• Cholesterol: 0