Classic Potato Latkes

The latke carries more weight than its humble ingredients suggest. This simple pancake of shredded potato, onion, and egg commemorates the miracle of Hanukkah: oil that should have lasted one day burning for eight. Every latke fried in your kitchen continues a tradition stretching back centuries, connecting your table to generations of Jewish cooks who understood that the sacred and the delicious are not separate things.

The technique matters more than the recipe. I've watched cooks use identical ingredients and produce wildly different results. The difference lives in three places: how thoroughly you remove moisture from the potatoes, how hot you keep your oil, and whether you have the courage to leave the latkes alone while they fry. Fussing produces pale, soggy pancakes. Patience produces lacework edges that shatter at first bite.

Russet potatoes give you the starch you need for binding and the texture you want for crispness. The onion does double duty: flavor and moisture control. Grated onion releases liquid that mixes with potato starch, creating a natural binder that holds everything together. Some cooks add matzo meal. I find a tablespoon helps absorb excess moisture without making the latkes heavy. Adjust based on how wet your potato mixture looks after squeezing.

For large gatherings, know this: latkes wait for no one, but they can be made ahead. Fry them, cool them, freeze them, and reheat in a hot oven when your guests arrive. They won't be quite as transcendent as fresh from the pan, but they'll be good. Very good. And you'll actually get to sit down at your own table.