Classic Potato Latkes with Homemade Apple Sauce
I’ve said it over and over again, but I’m a potato fanatic, so it should come as no surprise that latkes are one of my favorite holiday foods. I’ve been making them every year for Hannukah with my family, so I wanted to emulate the recipe we would use growing up, which are really are quite simple and classic. Traditionally, my grandpa and dad would grate the onions and the potatoes, and my mom and I would take over the rest, mixing everything together and frying them in the pan. It was a nice family affair, and something I definitely want to do with my future kids one day!
My mom is like me in that she doesn’t love to follow recipes, so we would always wing the amounts and eyeball everything to see if it looks right. I made sure to write the recipe down this time, though! This was the first year I made homemade apple sauce, and MY GOD it was a game-changer. It’s quite easy to make, so I highly recommend doing it if you can to take your latkes to the next level.
Latkes during Hannukah are traditionally served with apple sauce and sour cream, but I used Greek yogurt here in place of the sour cream (either works). I didn’t do this myself, but if you were looking to spice things up, you could do use mix of regular potato, sweet potato, and parsnips for the latke base. Next year I’ll try that!!
Ingredients
Latkes (serves 6)
4 large russet potatoes
1 large yellow onion
2 eggs
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil (plus more as needed)
Applesauce (serves 8-10)
8 large apples (I like to get different varieties. I used Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious, and Granny Smith)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
Lemon peel of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 cups water
Toppings
Greek yogurt
Finely chopped chives
Apple Sauce Instructions
1. If you’re making the homemade apple sauce, prepare that first. Core the apples, removing any seeds or stems. Cut into large chunks, and add to a large pot (like a dutch oven). I left the peels on, but you can peel if they bother you or if you want a smoother apple sauce. Add the lemon juice, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, and water.
2. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally until apples are soft enough to mash. If it looks like there’s too much water at the end, uncover and let simmer until apples get thicker.
3. Use a potato masher or a large spoon to mash the apples into a sauce. You can also use a food processor if you want a thinner/more blended apple sauce.
Latke Instructions
1. To make the latkes, grate the potatoes and onions on the large hole of the grater (or use a food processor). Transfer to a colander, and using your hands, squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can, getting rid of any liquid.
2. Transfer potato and onion to a bowl, and then mix in egg, flour, and salt and pepper.
3. In a deep, large skillet, heat up oil on medium heat. Create a latke with your hands (about 2 tbsp worth of potato mixture per latke) and carefully drop into the oil, making sure not to crowd the latkes. Press down to flatten the top with a spatula. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels when done.
If you’re making a lot, you can heat the oven to 250 F and keep them warm while you make the rest. Be sure to stir the mixture with each new batch, and add more oil as needed, making sure it gets hot before you drop them in.
4. Serve with apple sauce, Greek yogurt, and finely chopped chives.
Chag Sameach!