Potato Pancakes

Potato+Pancakes.jpg

Makes 6 dozen bite size pancakes. 

I am quite sure that some of you may have your own traditional Potato Latkes recipe. What distinguishes mine is that they are baked on heavy non-stick cookie sheets -not fried. They are very small and light. You can, of course, make them any size and allow more time for baking. 

I make them not only on Hanukkah but also throughout the year and serve them as an hors d’oeuvres topped with a dollop of salmon caviar, or a tidbit of smoked salmon. They can be baked earlier in the day and reheated or frozen (See Note).

INGREDIENTS:

  • 7 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 medium onion, quartered

  • 4 medium Russet potatoes

  • ¼ cup unbleached all -purpose flour

  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg white, lightly whisked

  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat oven to 450F. 

  2. Brush 3 heavy non-stick cookie sheets with 6 tablespoons oil.  

  3. Finely chop the onion in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Transfer to a large bowl.   

  4. Remove the blade from the processor and put on the medium shredding attachment. Peel the potatoes and cut them lengthwise into quarters to fit into the feed tube and grate. Add to the onion along with the flour, eggs and 1 tablespoon of oil. Combine well and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

  5. Place level tablespoons of potato, slightly apart, on the greased cookie sheets.

  6. Bake on the lowest shelf for 11 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Turn the pancakes over and bake for another 6 minutes, or until lightly golden.

  7. I like to serve the latkes on a cloth lined dish.

 Note:

Pancakes can be baked earlier in the day and reheated. To warm them arrange on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet in a preheated 350F oven until hot, about 6 minutes. The wire rack prevents the pancakes from getting soggy.  

To Freeze:  

Place the pancakes side by side in a plastic container with wax paper between the layers.  Do not defrost them but warm in a preheated 400F oven for about 10 minutes, or until hot.