Grandma Bertha's Latkes

I remember sitting at my Grandma Bertha's kitchen table and watching her grate the potatoes, onions and carrots by hand. I love the simplicity of this recipe - no flour, no baking soda or fancy seasonings - just simple basic ingredients.

[Rating – easy]

[Serves – This makes about 12-16 Latkes depending on the size]

You will need a food processor or a hand vegetable grater.

Preparation time: 

15 minutes – to peel the potatoes (place them in a bowl of cold water so they don’t turn brown), carrots and onion.

15-25 minutes to fry the Latkes, depending the how many you make

Ingredients:  

3 medium sized potatoes (peeled)

2 carrots (peeled)

1 large onion

3 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ to ½ cup Canola Oil for frying

 Eggs, onion, carrots and potatoes

Preparation: 

• Use the small grating blade on your food processor
• Add the carrots, potatoes and onion until everything is grated (processed)

Onion, carrots and potatoes - processed

• As you take the mix out of the processor – give a squeeze to remove any liquid - also check for large pieces of carrot, onion or potato that were not processed 
• Place the squeezed mixture into a medium size mixing bowl
• Add the eggs
• Add salt and black pepper to taste

Onion, carrots and potatoes - with eggs, salt and black pepper

• Mix everything together

Onion, carrots, potatoes, and egg - mixed together

• In a large frying pan – add about half the oil – heat the pan
• Drop a small tendril into the oil to see if it is hot enough - it should sizzle
• Drop 4 spoonfuls into the hot oil
• [There will be little tendrils of potato escaping from your Latkes they will NOT be perfectly shaped]

Latkes frying

• Fry about 4 to 6 minutes on each side.
• Remove and drain on paper towels
• Continue until all the mix is fried.
• Latkes can be kept warm in the oven.

Latkes 

Serve with:

Cold applesauce; Sugar and cinnamon; Sour cream or yogurt.

[Add chopped chives to the sour cream or yogurt]

Additional Options:

You could substitute sweet potato for white potato - but is that really a "Latke"?

You could add grated nutmeg or chopped garlic or chopped parsley or chopped mint - but is that really a "Latke"?

Send me your favorite Latke recipe and your comments to: capricorncooks@gmail.com.

Happly holiday!!!