Latkes (Crispy Hanukkah Potato Pancakes)
Local name: לביבות
In short: Coarsely grated potato and onion bound with egg and fried in shallow oil until lacy and crisp, served hot with applesauce. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 265 kcal
Latkes, called levivot in Hebrew, are potato pancakes fried in oil, which is why they belong to Hanukkah. Coarsely grated potato and onion are squeezed dry, bound with egg and a little flour and fried until the edges turn lacy and brown. Israeli families often eat them alongside sufganiyot over the eight nights. Squeezing out the water and frying in hot oil are what make them crisp.
Instructions
- Grate the potatoes and onion on the coarse side of a box grater. Pile them into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. This step decides how crisp the latkes will be.
- Let the squeezed liquid settle in a bowl for 5 minutes, then pour off the water and keep the white starch at the bottom.
- Mix the potatoes and onion with the eggs, flour, salt, pepper and the reserved starch.
- Heat 1 cm (1/2 inch) of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, until it shimmers, about 175°C (350°F).
- Drop in 2 tablespoons of mixture per latke and flatten each to about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Fry 4 or 5 at a time for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
- Drain on a rack set over a tray, since paper towels make them soggy, and sprinkle with salt. Keep warm in a 100°C (200°F) oven while you fry the rest. Serve hot with applesauce.
Tips
- Grate the potatoes just before cooking and mix quickly so they do not darken. Grating the onion first also slows browning.
- Fry one test latke first. If it falls apart, add another tablespoon of flour. If it is greasy, the oil was too cool.
Questions and answers
What are latkes called in Israel?
Levivot. They are traditional at Hanukkah, when foods fried in oil are eaten to mark the festival.
Can I make latkes ahead?
Fry them, cool on a rack and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat on a rack in a 220°C (425°F) oven for 8 to 10 minutes to crisp them again. They also freeze for 2 months.
What do you serve with latkes?
Applesauce is the classic. Some families serve them with a fried egg or a green salad.
How long does it take to make Latkes (Crispy Hanukkah Potato Pancakes)?
About 50 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Latkes (Crispy Hanukkah Potato Pancakes)?
About 265 kcal per serving, with 6 g of protein, 35 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 265 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 620 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
