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Mark Strausman’s Off Madison Potato Latkes
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 medium latkes
Ingredients
- 6 large Idaho or russet potatoes
- 1 medium white onion
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1-2 tablespoons matzoh meal or crushed saltines—can be gluten-free (optional)*
- 1 cup vegetable or peanut oil
Instructions
- Make an ice bath in a large bowl. Peel the potatoes and place them in the water to keep them from browning as you peel the rest. Peel the onion and set it aside.
- Remove the potatoes one by one from the water. Pat them dry, then grate them on the fine side of a box grater into another bowl. You want fine, thin shreds.
- Place the grated potatoes in cheesecloth and squeeze to wring out as much moisture as possible. Place back in the bowl and grate in the onion using the same fine setting.
- Mix well, then add the salt and egg yolk. Mix again and add matzoh meal if needed.
- In a heavy bottom frying pan, heat the oil until it just starts to smoke. Shape potato mixture into patties and place a few at a time in the hot oil. Pay attention to the temperature of the oil: that’s the most important technique for cooking latkes. The oil should be sizzling but not so hot that it burns the latkes before they’re cooked through. Brown gently on one side, then turn over to brown the other. As they finish cooking, remove to drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot with applesauce and sour cream (or smoked salmon and sour cream).
- *matzoh meal may or may not be needed, because potatoes have different levels of moisture. If the mixture holds together well without them, you don’t need to add. But if the mixture is at all runny, add to firm it up.