Out of the blue, I shot her an email asking about a very old and deep love of ours: her father's latke recipe. we used to have Hanukkah at each other's houses and play. Her dad always made the better latkes, which my father can't admit to this day. tonight, the first night of Hanukkah, Becca responded with her father's recipe. I played with it a little and am really, really happy with the results. The flavor, the crunchiness, the gooiness...it's truly a treat that i hope you all enjoy as much as I do.
8 large potatoes, yukon or russet...or a mix
1 medium vidalia onion
1-2 shallots, depending on size
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon white pepper
5 cups vegetable oil
heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large flat iron skillet on medium.
Quarter your potatoes and onions. Using a food processor or speed and upper body strength, grate your potatoes and onions into a large mixing bowl. quickly mix in your flour, eggs, sal and pepper before it oxidizes (turns an icky pinkish brown).
Using a slotted spoon, scoop approximately 3/4 cup, or whatever size you prefer, and spoon it into the skillet. the oil should be bubbling up around the pancake (but not burning it or spitting!), if not, raise the temperature slightly.
Once solid and golden brown on one side (roughly 6 minutes) flip over to other side gently with a spatula. I honestly used a filet spatula which worked excellently. Fry until other side is golden brown (roughly 4 minutes) and remove from heat. Place them on a cookie dish or a broiling plate to catch the oil dripping off of them.
And repeat. Until you are finished with your batter. If you need to drain the liquid a little as your batter gets thinner, use a fine sieve.
Most people serve latkes with sour cream. I always had them with apple sauce. To each their own.
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