These classic potato pancakes are super crispy on the outside but soft and moist on the inside. We use shredded potatoes for a traditional look, and a little bit of onion for that hint of sweetness. A spiced fruity sauce completes the experience.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Inactive: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 35 min |
| Yield: | 10 to 12 latkes |
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 small yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons matzo meal
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as chives or parsley, for garnish
- Sour cream, for serving
- Spiced Apple-Pear Sauce, for serving, recipe follows
- 3 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 6 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and shred them in a food processor fitted with the shredding blade; transfer the potatoes to a large bowl as the food processor fills up. Repeat with the onion. Transfer the onion to the bowl with the potatoes and stir in the matzo meal, egg, baking powder and salt.
- Fill a large skillet with 1/2 inch oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil is very hot but not smoking. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of potato into the oil; if the potato sizzles steadily, the oil is ready.
- Working in batches, scoop the potato mixture by 1/4-cupfuls and add them carefully to the skillet, flattening each latke slightly with a spatula. Fry, turning the latkes once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Remove any loose bits of potato mixture between batches with a slotted spoon.
- Serve the latkes immediately, or keep them warm in a 200 degree F oven. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with sour cream and Spiced Apple-Pear Sauce.
- Combine the apples, pears, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the apples and pears are very soft but still a bit chunky, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste the mixture and add the remaining tablespoon of sugar if desired.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and stir a few times until the sauce is well combined with small chunks. Cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon sticks and serve. (For a smoother sauce, remove from heat, remove the cinnamon sticks and then whisk the mixture until smooth before cooling.)
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 383 |
| Total Fat | 29 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 12 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 16 mg |
| Sodium | 333 mg |
Reviews
One step left out this to try and get as much liquid off the potatoes and onion. I had a strainer with clean kitchen towel to help dry them. The mixture was still really too wet so needed more flour.
I used brown sugar ad a splash of bourbon in the Apple/pear compote to give it a warmer flavors with the spices.
Still a very good recipe.
I used brown sugar ad a splash of bourbon in the Apple/pear compote to give it a warmer flavors with the spices.
Still a very good recipe.
Made these last year for my son’s in-laws. I’ve never had them before, but wanted to do my best for the in-laws. They said they were the best they’ve had, even better than their own. Looking forward to making them again this year.
Great recipe, both for the latkes and the apple and pear sauce. Note just make sure you squeeze the liquid a bit from the latkes before placing them in the oil. I knew to do this but I can tell that people might not know and place them in too wet. Mine turned out golden and perfect!
Awesome sauce!!!
Sounds great
Made this recipe and it was fab. I cut the potatoes into small pieces and put them in the blender to grate, I add the egg and onion…. grate….baking powder. After all mixed I pour into large mixing bowl..add salt and pepper and then mix in the matzo meal. Then fry as directed.
I made the latkes for breakfast this morning and my family really enjoyed it. I followed the directions pretty closely however probably added just a touch more seasoning. It turned out delicious. Thank you Food Network for this wonderful recipes!
This was very good, will be putting on our regular rotation! Used regular panko instead of the matzo, added more as it settled and got ‘wetter’. Delish!
Delicious!!
I made these but then fried them in my new NuWave Air fryer. I preheated it to 400 degrees F. Misted the Latkes with a bit of olive oil and cooked them for 5 minutes. Then turned them over and misted them again with the olive oil and cooked them for another 5 minutes. They came out terrific and were not soaked in oil!