truly crispy nonsense

no posts in two months, and then two in one day - what is she thinking? She is thinking that it is Chanukah time, and no food blog would be complete without a recipe for latkes.

Sweet potato latkes, zucchini latkes, cottage cheese latkes, latkes with parmesan, or shallots, or scallions - all well and good, but sometimes you just want cruchy, greasy, hot, shtetl-style potato-and-onion pancakes, topped with applesauce.

In my family, there is a fierce debate between those of us who like our potatoes grated in the food processor and those who advocate for hand-grating. With food-processed potatoes, the latkes come out crisp and crunchy, with little tendrils of potato sticking out on all sides. When the potatoes are hand-grated, the resultant batter tends to be mushier, and the latkes turn out thickier and fluffier. I happen to prefer the food processor method, as do my sisters. My maternal grandfather is a stalwart hand-grated fan. We usually resolve this conflict by making latkes twice during the eight-day holiday.

I used this recipe, the one my mom always uses and originally from Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook, to make over 100 latkes for a fundraiser for Jews United for Justice last weekend. We used a food processor. :c)

Ingredients:

• 10 potatoes (russet or other plain baking potatoes work well)
• 2 yellow onions
• 2-3 eggs, beaten
• 4 tbs matzah meal (can substitute flour)
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• lots of vegetable oil, for frying

Procedure:

• Peel potatoes. As you finish each one, place it in a bowl of cold water, to prevent browning.
• Peel onions.
  
• Push peeled potatoes and onions through the top feed (whatever it's called - the plastic smokestack-looking-thing at the top) of the food processor. Alternatively, shred potatoes and onions by hand, using the medium-sized holes on the grater.
  
• Transfer shredded potatoes and onions to a colander and press over the sink, removing as much liquid as you can.
• Transfer to a large bowl and add eggs, matzah meal, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
• Heat oil on the stove in a heavy, deep skillet (or two). Latkes are not a saute, and we are not talking a tablespoon or two of oil. Fill the skillet with at least a quarter-inch of oil, and plan to refil as needed. Latkes are deep-fried. You must come to terms with this fact.
  
• When oil is hot, drop in large spoonfuls (~ 1/3 cup each) of the batter, patting each into a pancake shape with a spatula. Fry until brown on the first side, then flip and fry until brown on the other side. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels (I have yet to find an ecologically-sound alternative to this). Transfer onto a cookie sheet and keep warm in a 200-degree oven until all batter is fried and you are ready to eat.
  
• Serve with applesauce (or, traditionally, sour cream - but I, personally, find the idea of dousing your oil with cream kind of weird).
  

Have a beautiful festival of lights!