Life-Changing Latkes, Part 1

Ep 3:  Dori talks about the big latke-making popup she did over the holidays. It didn't go as planned.

Ingredients:

• 3 large russet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1T kosher salt or to taste
• Freshly ground black or white pepper or a combination of both
• 1 large egg
• Duck fat and/or vegetable oil for frying. (A mix of the two is fine. Or if you’re vegetarian, can’t find duck fat, or are on a duck-free diet,  just use vegetable oil.)

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, grate onion on the large holes of a box grater.
2. Peel and grate potatoes into the onion (this helps prevent the potato from discoloring).
3. Add salt and pepper and mix thoroughly, tasting a strand of potato and adding more salt and/or pepper to taste.
4. Scoop the potato-onion mixture with your hands, squeezing out excess liquid and placing dry mixture into another medium-large sized bowl. Repeat until all the “dry” potato-onion mixture is in one bowl, and save the potato liquid in the other. Let the liquid sit about 10 minutes, giving the potato starch time to settle to the bottom of the bowl.
5. Add egg to potato-onion mixture and mix well (hands are the best mixing implement here!).
6. Pour off the liquid squeezed from the potato and onions. There should be a nice layer of potato starch accumulated at the bottom of the bowl (the starchier the potatoes, the more you’ll find). Scoop out the starch and incorporate it into the potato mixture.
7. In a heavy, good-quality skillet or cast iron pan, add about an inch of oil (you’ll want the latkes about halfway submerged in fat while frying) and heat over medium-high flame. You’re ready to go when a strand of potato sizzles when added to the pan.
8. Scoop out a small handful of the potato mixture, and press between your hands to flatten and squeeze out any excess liquid. Make sure the pancakes are even, not too thick in the middle, and about 3 inches around for an average-size latke. Gently add to skillet and cook, making sure not to crowd the pan, for about two to three minutes per side or until golden brown. Take care not to fuss with them while they’re cooking or they may fall apart.
9. Add more fat after each batch as necessary. Too little will cause the latkes to burn on the outside before cooking inside.
10. Remove from pan and place on a paper-towel lined cookie sheet rack.

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