Potato Pancakes & Latkes
Potato Pancakes & Latkes with tried & true recipes from Ukrainians, Polish & Jewish family/friends.
My Ukrainian mother & her own mom made the Ukrainian version which isn't very different than my Polish mother in law's version.
They made them often during Lent.......prior to Easter feasting.
The Jewish versions can be similar to those named above, or of the more "lacy" variety like my friend made (last recipe below).
These potato pancakes/latkes were traditionally served for our meatless Fridays.......or on our Jewish friends' Hanukkah.
GREAT anytime. Very inexpensive to make. Nostalgic to
eat/enjoy.
Deruny - Ukrainian Potato Pancakes (Деруни)
As children we ate these with applesauce.....which I also served to my own family.
However I love them with a dollop of sour cream myself.
Serving: 6-8
Ingredients
5 medium size potatoes
1 onion
1 egg
3 Tbsp of all purpose flour
1 Tbsp of sour cream to mix in.
1 tsp of salt and pepper to taste
Cooking oil
Instructions
Prep all the ingredients:
Peel potatoes and onion:
Take big bowl, grate potatoes and onion (on the grater), taking turns and mixing grated mixture. Onion juice will keep potatoes from browning.
Add flour, egg, sour cream and mix it well, than add 1 tsp of salt and some black pepper, batter should be still liquid enough so you can easily ladle it.
Warm up a skillet with 2-3 Tbsp of cooking oil over medium/high heat.
Add 1 heaping Tbsp of mixture at a time to the skillet fry on one side until golden brown in color, then flip to other side and fry for the same amount of time.
Repeat the same procedure for the rest of the batter.
************************************************** *****************************
POLISH POTATO PANCAKES (placki ziemniaczane)
As my mother in law made..........very similar to the Ukrainian ones that my mom & grandmother made for "meatless days".
Ingredients
6 medium peeled and finely grated potatoes
1 medium finely grated onion
2 large eggs
Salt and pepper
About 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Yield: 6 servings Potato Pancakes
Mix potatoes, onion, eggs, and salt and pepper.
Add enough flour to bind the mixture together.
In a large, heavy skillet set over medium-high heat, add enough vegetable oil to come to a depth of 1/4 inch.
Heat until hot, but not smoking.
Drop table spoonfuls of potato mixture into skillet and spread out to a 3-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick.
Fry until brown on the bottom (don't turn until the pancake is brown or it will stick), about 3 to 5 minutes, reducing the heat to medium, if needed, to prevent burning.
Turn the pancake and fry the other side 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
Drain on paper towels.
Serve with sour cream.
************************************************** *************************
Hanukkah Latkes - Potato Pancakes
Fried food is traditionally eaten on Hanukkah in commemoration of the oil that miraculously burned for eight days when the Maccabees purified and rededicated the holy Temple in Jerusalem. Fried Potato Pancakes (called Latkes in Yiddish and Levivot in Hebrew) are the holiday favorite.
Ingredients
5 potatoes
2 onions
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
between 1/4 to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
oil for frying (canola is recommended)
Preparation
1. Peel potatoes. Place in a bowl of cold water so they won’t turn brown.
2. When ready to prepare the latkes, drain the potatoes. Place potatoes and onions in a food processor fitted with a knife blade. Pulse until smooth. Drain mixture well.
3. Pour potato mixture into a large bowl. Add beaten eggs. Add salt and pepper. Add enough flour so that the mixture holds together.
4. Pour 1 inch of oil into a large, deep frying pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
5. Carefully drop 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into the hot oil.
6. Flatten the pancake slightly so the center will cook.
7. Fry for several minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
8. Drain on paper towels.
Serving Suggestion: Serve the latkes with applesauce.
Yields: approximately 20 pancakes
************************************************** ******************************
POLISH JEWISH LATKES:
This recipe for Latkes remind me of the ones my Jewish friend makes........they are more on the light and "lacy" side........she never had an exact recipe. I found this one.
The latkes, made with simple basic ingredients, are crunchy, light and taste like they did in the old country..........so I am told.........old country being POLAND.
Ingredients
4 medium Idaho potatoes 6 tablespoons canola oil or olive oil
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons matzoh meal (or corn meal)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
Applesauce or sour cream (optional)
Preparation
1. Prepare a large bowl filled with cold water.
2. Peel potatoes, and as you finish each, place in cold water to prevent browning.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Cut potatoes lengthwise into halves or quarters so they fit into food processor feed tube. Process potatoes using the blade that creates thin, shoestring-like strips and transfer to a large bowl.
5. Add eggs, matzoh meal, salt and pepper and mix well.
6. Drop 6 to 8 spoonfuls of mixture into hot oil. Using the back of a spoon, pat down each latke to flatten it. Put as many as you can in the skillet without crowding. Putting them too close together will make them soggy.
7. Fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp around the edges; repeat procedure until finished with all the batter.
8. Blot excess oil with paper towels.
9. Serve warm with applesauce or sour cream, if desired.
TIP: Corn meal is a great substitute for matzoh meal and will also make your latkes nice and crispy.
YIELD: 8 servings
|