I don’t cook latkes often but when I do, it ends up being a crowd pleaser. What the heck are latkes?! Latkes are potato pancakes and are traditionally made for Hanukkah.
This dish is best as an appetizer or a side dish. Then again, use your leftover latkes (as if there would be any leftovers) and put an egg on it for breakfast! So many delicious options with this simple dish.
The recipe below is my favorite way to make them – they end up flavorful and wonderfully crisp. Try not to eat them all once you’re done!
Just kidding… you should eat them all at once. These are so damn good.
Ingredients:
- 4 large russet potatoes – peeled *must be russets*
- 1 small white onion – finely grated
- 2 large eggs – lightly beaten
- ¼ cup Pacific Rain Northwest Pale
- 3 tablespoons Matzo Meal *other people use flour but trust me on this*
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Canola oil, for frying
Optional:
- Apple sauce
- Sour cream
- Chives (if you’re feeling fancy and like garnish)
Supplies:
- Paper towels
- Cheese cloth or clean kitchen towel
- Baking sheet + wire rack on top (if you don’t have a wire rack, don’t worry)
- Heavy non-stick skillet
Directions:
- Prep your ingredients – Peel the potatoes, grate the onions, cry your eyes out. I recommend that you grate the onions into a bowl. There is going to be a lot of liquid from the onions and of course, from the inevitable tears. You will get through this! Remember – delicious latkes are on the way.
- Grate the potatoes – Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Fill up a large bowl with cold water. Grate potatoes into long strips into the bowl of water. Transfer the grated potatoes to a strainer but make sure to keep the water from the original bowl (you will want the potato starch at the bottom for later).
- Squeeze out as much liquid as possible – Using the cheese cloth or kitchen towel, squeeze the potatoes dry. I recommend squeezing the onions dry too. The less liquid left, the better – it’ll make your latkes crispier.
- Pour out the water, save the starch – Allow that reserved liquid to sit for 10 minutes to allow the starch to sink to the bottom. When ready, carefully pour the liquid out of the bowl but make sure you reserve the potato starch – it will look like milky residue. This starch will be used as an added binding agent for the latkes.
- Mix everything together – Add the potatoes back to the bowl with the starch and add the onions. Stir in eggs, beer, matzo meal, salt and pepper. I think it’s easiest to mix it all with your hands.
- Fry them up – Line a baking sheet with paper towels and if you have it, put the wire rack on top. In the heavy nonstick skillet, heat ¼ inch of oil. When you’re ready to fry up the latkes, spoon about ¼ cup and make it into a ball. Then, squeeze out the liquid and flatten the ball a bit. Carefully place it into the skillet. I like to place it on a spatula and then gently get it into the pan. (In these photos, I spooned 1/2 cup but I made another batch later using the 1/4 cup. I recommend going that route.)
- Give them a few minutes, but not too many – Fry on both sides until golden brown – about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to the baking sheet to drain and keep warm in the oven. Serve hot with all the fixings!
I hope you have an easy and delicious journey making your own latkes! Do you have any tips or tricks? Any questions? Comment below!
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About the Author
Emilie is our resident beer fairy. As the national donations manager for our Beer is Love program, Emilie spends her days donating beer to people doing amazing work in every state where our beer is enjoyed. When not donating beer, you can find Emilie hunting down the best bloody mary, hanging with her dog Scout, or exploring the Central Oregon wilderness.
