Marcy Goldmans World Famous Potato Pancakes Latkes Recipes

SLIGHTLY ADAPTED MAMO'S POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes, immediately immersing them in very cold water as you finish each one.
• Remove the potatoes from the water. Grate the potatoes and onion with a food processor fitted with the grating blade. Don't press too hard on the potatoes going in -- just enough to get them through.
• Transfer the potatoes and onion to a fine-mesh strainer; squeeze out all the water into a bowl. Let the potato starch settle, then pour out as much water as possible, leaving the starch in the bowl. Add the potato-onion mixture to the bowl and mix in the egg, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.
• Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with a thin layer of vegetable oil over medium heat. Scoop large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the pan and flatten them out (thin pancakes yield crispy ones). Fry until golden on the bottom, then gently flip and fry the other side, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. (If you have to wait to serve, re-crisp them on a baking sheet lined with clean paper towels in a 350 degrees F oven.)
• Serve with applesauce, or try my family's favorite toppings: My great-grandmother put cinnamon in applesauce to serve with hers. My grandfather loved his with heaps of cold sour cream. My grandmother served them with poached pears. My mother tops them with tart, chunky homemade applesauce. My brother, Willie, loves his plain with sugar. My stepfather, Ronnie, loves his with ketchup -- but I wouldn't brag about that!

MARCY GOLDMAN'S WORLD FAMOUS POTATO PANCAKES LATKES

Steps:

• The best way to fry these are in tiny dollops, dropped from a spoon (or I use metal kitchen tongs and pick up small clumps of batter) and use a deep wok. the cooking method is so important so follow the directions exactly for perfect results.
• Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and just cover with cold water. Turn heat to high and allow to come to boil. As soon as potatoes are boiling, put a kitchen timer on for 10 minutes. When timer rings, remove potatoes from stove and cover with cold water. Drain immediately, then cover again with cold water. Let sit five minutes. Remove potatoes and pat dry.
• Using a hand shredder (best) or food processor fitted with a medium disc, shred potatoes (with skins on). The potatoes should be slightly softened, but still firm enough to produce shreds. If the peel separates from the potato, discard it. If the peel gets grated in with the potatoes, it's fine and just incorporate it into the mixture. I like the hand grater best. When I use the processor, I use two thirds shredded then pulverized potatoes and one third shredded for a mixture than is bulky but still has shreds. Worth the trouble.
• In a large bowl, blend shredded potatoes, grated onion, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Place newspaper on work surface (near frying area) and cover with a few paper towels. In a large deep skillet (I like to use a wok), pour in enough vegetable oil to fill about two thirds. If using an electric fry pan, set the temperature to 350°F or 375°F (depending on how fast you want the pancakes to cook). Drop potato batter by teaspoons (for small ones) or soup spoonfuls in small dollops, flattening slightly with a metal spatula if desired. I use large metal tongs for dropping and turning. Brown one side, turn once, and complete cooking on other side. These cook quickly. You're looking for a puffy centre while retaining some crisp shreds of potato on edges.
• Serve immediately or freeze. To reheat, place latkes on a large wire cake rack on a cookie sheet. Warm at 250°F until crisp. For freezing purposes, fry them a little underdone to allow for browning in the re-heating stage.

CELERY ROOT AND POTATO PANCAKES / LATKES - GLUTEN-FREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees or "warm" setting. Peel potatoes and submerge in cold water. Peel celery root with a paring knife. Pulse the onion and garlic in food processor. Mixture should be coarse, not completely pureed. Pour onion-garlic mixture into a large bowl.
• Grate the celery root using the larger grate of a box grater, or use the grater attachment of a food processor. Add to onion-garlic mixture and stir.
• Grate potatoes. Quickly squeeze a handful of grated potatoes at a time over a second bowl (or the kitchen sink) to remove all liquid. Add the dry potatoes to the onions and celery root, mixing as you go. This step should be done as quickly as possible to prevent oxidation of the potatoes.
• Heat 1/4 inch of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron works best) over medium-high heat, until just below the smoking point.
• Add remaining ingredients to the batter, and stir until fully combined. Place a small handful of batter (approximately 1/4 cup) in the hot oil at a time. Pat each handful into a 1/2" thick pancake shape before placing in oil - This will help each latke stay together. Fry until completely golden-brown on the bottom and crispy around the outside corners. Flip and brown on the second side.
• Transfer latkes to a plate lined with paper towels or several layers of brown paper (I use grocery bags). Allow paper to absorb excess oil, then transfer latkes to a cooking rack placed over baking sheet in the preheated oven, where they will stay warm until ready to serve. Serve hot, with sour cream and applesauce.
• Extra latkes can be frozen on a baking sheet in the freezer, with parchment paper between the layers. When frozen, transfer to ziploc bags. Reheat in oven at 400 degrees F.

PERFECT POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Peel and shred potatoes; place in a bowl of cold water. Line a colander with cheesecloth or paper towels. Drain potatoes into cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, flour, onion, salt and pepper., In an electric skillet, heat 1/4 in. oil over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into oil, about 3 in. apart. Press lightly to flatten. Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter. If desired, top with maple syrup or applesauce.

POTATO LATKES (PANCAKES)

Steps:

• Peel potatoes, apple, and onion.
• Put them through a meat grinder, if you have one. Alternatively, grate them in food prcessor or blender.
• Pour off some of the excess water from grated potatoes.
• Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl and add grated potato mixture, salt, and matzo meal or flour.
• Pour about 1" of oil in large skillet and heat until a few drops of water sizzle when they hit the oil.
• Drop the mixture by tablespoons into the hot oil.
• Brown latkes to golden color, then flip over and brown the other side.
• Immediately remove to double or triple layer of paper towels to drain. Serve hot, with apple sauce and sour cream'.
• If you can't serve at once, put in 190 deg. F oven. I put each batch in the oven as soon as they are drained, so that all are good and crisp. I also usually double or triple the recipe according to the number of people eating.