Category: Breads, Pasta, Potatoes, Starches

I started researching the difference between American Hash Browns, Jewish Latkes and German Rösti, but the bottom line is there really isn’t a whole lot of difference.

• Hash Browns: A traditional staple in America that you would get at Mel’s Diner. Shredded potatoes fried until browned.
• Latkes: A Hanukkah potato that is grated (or spiralized) mixed with egg and onion slivers, and then pressed into small loose pancakes and then fried.
• Rosti: A German/Swedish grated parboiled potato that is pressed into a slightly larger pancake and then baked. Most of the rösti recipes that I reviewed had rosemary in them.

The end result is very similar.

PLEASE READ: The key to successful deep frying is temperature. As long as bubbles are going out, oil cannot be going in. Too cool and the oil will seep into whatever you are frying. Too hot and it will burn, but still not be cooked inside. As soon as the bubbles stop, get it out of the oil. Use a submersible or candy thermometer to monitor temperature closely and keep your temperature as closed to 365º as possible. If you do it right, very little oil will be absorbed.

INGREDIENTS FOR PANKO POTATO LATKES

• 1 lemon
• 1 TBL salt
• 3 Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (grated)
• 1 small sweet onion (grated or minced)
• 1/4 C flour – Bluebird Flour if possible
• 1 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 C yogurt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 TBL potato starch (use corn starch if you have no potato starch)
• 1/4 tsp pepper or Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
• Peanut or grapeseed oil for frying – both have a high smoke point
  Alternatives are olive oil and/or schmaltz.

This recipe is adapted from ToriAvey.com.  CLICKING HERE will give you a page of quite extensive instructions and a lot of good information and history about latkes.  I recommend you visit Tori’s web page and read about latkes, then stop back here to print out this brief recipe summary, that makes a smaller amount than Tori’s recipe. (Internal Link)

SETUP

• Place a cooling rack near your oil with a newspaper beneath it to catch the drips.

STEP BY STEP

1. Peel the potatoes, then grate them using a food processor.  If you don’t have one, use a hand grater.
2. Place grated potato into a bowl and immediately cover with cold water and squeeze juice from one lemon and 1 TBL salt into the water.  Mix well.
3. No need to clean the grater.  Grate the onion and put into the water with the grated potato.
4. Drain the potato/onion mixture and place in the center of a clean tea towel.
5. Let rest for 5 minutes, then pour through a colander.  Let drain for 20 minutes.  If you are in a hurry, continue straight to Step 6.
6. Firmly squeeze all excess liquid from the shreds.
7. Place potato/onion mixture in a large bowl and separate the shreds with a fork.
8. Mix flour, beaten eggs, potato starch and pepper
9. Fold panko into the potatoes and mix well.
10. Pour peanut oil in a cast iron skillet to a depth of 1/8 inch and heat to 365º – You should use a thermometer to assure correct oil temperature.
11. Put 3 TBL of the mixture into your hand and squeeze it into a fairly flat disk.
12. Lower the disk carefully into the hot oil.  The latke can break apart easily, but if you can get them into the oil, they should be OK.
13. Shape each subsequent latke just before it is slid into the oil.  Don’t fry any more than five at a time.  Don’t crowd the pan.
14. Fry until brown and crispy (about 3-5 minutes per side)
    NOTE: If your latkes are not holding together, stir 2 tsp potato starch and 1 tsp beaten egg till the batter holds its shape.
15. Remove the latkes to drain using a metal spatula, and place on the wire rack.
16. Serve within 10 minutes of frying them.  Always serve latkes hot and fresh if possible. The longer they sit, the less crisp they’ll be.
17. If you can’t do this, leave them on the rack to cool. When ready to serve, place in 375º oven for 10 minutes until heated through.
18. Serve latkes with applesauce and/or sour cream, if desired.

Serving Options

• Horseradish mixed with sour cream
• Sauteed mushrooms
• Slices of smoked salmon
• Cherry tomato salsa

NOTES

• Latkes are traditionally cooked on Hanukkah, along with other fried foods, to commemorate the miracle of the menorah oil in the Jewish Temple.
• Chremslach (singular: chremsel) is the Yiddish word for a fried pancake. Potato chremslach are often mistaken for latkes. They are similar to latkes, with one major difference. Instead of shredding the potatoes, as we do with latkes, the potatoes are mashed and made into a thick batter before frying. Chremslach often appear on deli menus as “potato pancakes.” Latkes are thinner and more crispy due to the shredded texture of the potatoes. Chremslach are thicker and fluffier.
• The perfect latke is crispy on the outside while hot, soft and fluffy in the center. It’s aromatic and salty and oniony and delectable. A well made latke is nearly impossible to resist.
• This recipe is summarized/adapted from ToriAvey.com.  CLICKING HERE will give you a page of quite extensive instructions.  There is also quite a bit of information and history about latkes.  I recommend you visit Tori’s web page and read about latkes, then stop back here to print out this brief recipe summary.

Simple Potato Pancake 1/2 C left over mashed potatoes 1/2 C grated russet potatoes 1/2 C flour 2 eggs 1/4 C cheddar cheese garlic, salt and pepper to taste Form into loose (not tight) patties Fry in hot oil until browned

 

ANOTHER RECIPE BRIEF – IRISH POTATO PANCAKES

• Make your Creme Fraiche
  • 1/4 C Sour Cream
  • 2 tsp whole grain mustard
  • 1 tsp Fresh Chives
  • salt and pepper
• Prepare your mashed potatoes
  • 1/2 C mashed potatoes
  • 1 TBL butter
  • 2 TBL Half and Half
  • Put ingredients into a pot
  • Heat, melt and blend
• 1/2 C grated russet potato
  • Squeeze out as much water content as you can
• Make the batter
  • Add 1 egg (beaten)
  • 1/4 C Half and Half
  • 3 TBL AP flour
  • scant baking powder
• Combine all ingredients
• Add salt and pepper
• Butter a cast-iron skillet
• Drop by spoonfuls onto hot skillet
• Flip when edges are brown
• Plate and top with a dollop of Creme Fraiche
• Add a thin slice of smoked salmon
• and garnish with chives

 

NOTES FROM CHOMPIES

• 1 C Fresh grated potato
• Chopped onion 1/2 C
• 1/2 C masa meal
•  (or flour)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp canola oil
• 2 eggs
  • Rest 10 minutes
• Create patty and put into 1/4 C hot canola oil
•  

• 6 C AP white flour
• 1 C whole wheat flour
• 1 TBL salt
• 2 TBL sugar (for flour)
• 1 tsp sugar (for yeast)
• 1 TBL yeast
• 2 C very warm (not hot) water

1. Mix 1 tsp sugar, yeast and half of your water in a small bowl.
2. Set aside to bubble 10 minutes
3. Mix flour, salt and 2 TBL sugar in a large bowl
4. Stir yeast mixture into flour
5. Add more water to flour to form a soft dough that is slightly sticky
6. Pour dough into a floured surface
7. Knead about 10 minutes adding more flour to the surface as necessary.
8. Dough ball should be smooth and should bounce back when you press a finger into it.
9. Lightly oil top of dough and let rest until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes
10. Punch dough a few times to get rid of built up air bubbles inside
11. Divide into half, then half again – You should now have four pieces
12. Divide each piece into thirds – You should now have twelve pieces
13. Form each into a smooth ball, cover and let stand about 10 minutes
14. Roll into 8 inch rounds about 1/8 inch thick
    – For a more authentic ekmek, flatten it with your hands and then pound it with your finger tips until flattened
15. Place on ungreased pan at 450º for 8-10 minutes
16. These will puff up and the center should be hollow.

Ingredients

• 4 C AP flour
• 1 TBL baking soda
• 1 TBL baking powder
• 3/4 C sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 C raisins
• scant salt
• 1 TBL frozen and grated butter
• 2 C buttermilk
• 2 sprigs of rosemary – chopped
• zest and juice from one lemon

Step by Step

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Whisk together all dry ingredients except sugar
3. Mix raisins into dry ingredients
4. Mix egg and sugar
5. Put into Kitchen Aid and beat adding (a bit at a time) grated butter, then the egg, and finally the buttermilk.
6. Add 2/3 of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl
7. Stir to mostly incorporate
8. Slowly add the other 1/3 of the dry ingredients
9. Let mixture rest for 15 minutes in the mixing bowl
10. Meanwhile, grease a 9 inch pie pan
11. After batter has rested, pour batter into the pie pan and bake 40 minutes
12. Open oven, cut an X in the top of the bread, rotate pan, and cook an additional 20-30 minutes

 

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