Super Simple Latkes!

When it comes to cooking, I prefer for it to be easy and simple and this recipe is just that! I have been looking around for a perfect and easy Latke recipe for my friend Jacquie and let me tell you there is not a shortage of them out there. It seems that the closer it comes to Hanukkah, the more Latke recipes come out. A lot of the recipes I read wanted you to peel, grate and then soak the potatoes for an hour at least! Then one, even said to save the starchy water and add back IN to the mixture later! I mean really now, that is ridiculous. Some want you to make mashed potatoes and mix it in with the grated potatoes and what not.

Regardless of how you make your Latkes, whether is be a family recipe or you just want to spend your day making them is up to you. If you want to make it easy and simple so you can spend more time with your family for Hanukkah, I am the woman for you! A lot of recipes call for you to use Schmaltz, which is rendered chicken fat, use that if you want to be 100% authentic. I just used some canola oil because I have no idea where to even find schmaltz...and if I did, what would I do with it after the fact?! Plus, it makes it more vegetarian and vegan friendly if you don't use the schmaltz. This also calls for egg, but you can use an egg substitute. The egg is really just there as a binder.

When it comes to recipes, I usually don't bother bother trying to make a certain amount, it really depends on my mood. When I first made them I only managed 5 because they were pretty large. I think with this recipe, you should get maybe a dozen depending on your potatoes and or how big or small you make them.

I really think the longest part of this recipe, at least the prep is probably grating the potatoes and or frying them. I would also suggest maybe over seasoning these a little bit. I first followed the recipe and for my tastes, they were bland but if you add the toppings (which I didn't), then I think it would be perfect. For eating alone though, add more.

First you have to start off by peeling your potatoes. I'm not sure it matters what kind of potato you use, as long they are a pretty decent size. No baby potatoes over here! I think the quality of the skin and or if you like potato skin depends on if you should peel them or not. The first time I did this, I didn't peel them, the second time though I did. I wasn't too thrilled with the feeling of the skin, so I peeled them.

When you grate your potatoes, please be careful! Don't go knocking your finger, because I don't think it would be tasty, or feel too great. The next bit though, will require some strength. You need to squeeze and squeeze the grated potatoes. You want to try and squeeze out as much of the starchy liquid as you can, the more you get out the better. You will be introducing a liquid back in, in the form of an egg. Just one..depending. For this post, I used 4 potatoes and 1 egg was perfectly fine. I think just adjust the recipe to...how it looks? I'm not sure how I wanted to word that actually.

You can use a spoon or something to mix this together, but lets be real over here, I used my hands. I mean, why not. I pretty much just worked and massaged everything into the potatoes. You want to make sure that it is all worked in together. I am pretty sure that I am making this sound more complicated than it really is. Before you mix everything up though, after you grate your potatoes, start heating up your oil. You are basically shallow frying them. I can't tell you how much oil I used, because I don't know. Plus everyone has a different kind of frying pan, but keep in mind shallow frying. You don't want too much oil and you don't want too little.

I used a heaping tablespoon per each latke. You can tell that none of them are the same size and shape. By all means, take the time and effort to make them all uniform. We shall call these rustic..aka I was too lazy to make them all look neat and the same. Fry them for a few minutes on each side. Basically, once you see them start to turn golden brown, flip those bad boys over! Be insanely careful to not splash yourself with the oil, it won't be a pleasant experience. Not that I know or anything. <_< >_>

Once you are done frying them, just sit them on a cooling rack with paper towel under them...or just sit them on paper towels to get rid of the excess oil. You can sprinkle these with extra salt if you want, but be careful. If you added extra salt during the mixing process, I would advice against adding more. I did that not thinking and it was like salt over load. So if you add extra salt into the mixture, don't add any on top. If you don't add extra salt, feel free to add some at the end. Do what you do boo.

I mean that is really it. Like I said, I am pretty sure I made it sound more complicated that it really is. Grate the potatoes, squeeze the potatoes, add the ingredients, mix the ingredients, fry them, eat them. I mean, it is pretty simple. Some recipes I saw took an hour to an entire freaking day to make them! Ain't Nobody got time fo' dat!

What do you think?! Will you make some even though Hanukkah is over?! I may make some again! They are so tasty! Just like hash browns.

Best,
Autumn<3