The Crispiest Potato Latkes

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!

How to make the crispiest potato latkes

1. 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 in a separate bag.

2. 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.

Tips on how to fry potato latkes

• 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.
• We don't recall exactly which blogger, mentioned it, but there is a cool tip to keep the frying oil cleaner: simply place a piece of carrot or a baby carrot in the oil while frying the latkesl. 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 is to drop a small amount 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.  Potato latkes made with shredded potatoes will need to be cooked less time, just test one.
• Keep the potato latkes warm and crispy by placing them in a baking sheet in a 250F oven.

Spiralize the potatoes for crispier potato latkes

Ingredients for potato latkes (regular and vegan options)

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
• ¼ 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.

What do you eat with potato latkes?

Traditionally potato latkes are eaten with:

• Apple Sauce
• Horseradish
• Sour Cream

If you like latkes, give these other latke recipes a try, too!

• Asian Inspired butternut squash latkes
• Vegan potato latkes
• Carrot and parsnip latkes
• Potato and apple latkes with Tahini and Silan

 

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