Matzo Meal Latkes Recipes

MATZO LATKES

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet set over medium-high heat. Add onions, and saute until translucent; set aside. Place matzo in a food processor, and process until coarsely ground; you should have 1 1/2 cups crumbs, or meal. Set aside. Place cottage cheese in the clean bowl of the food processor, and blend until smooth.
• In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup matzo crumbs, cottage cheese, sauteed onions, egg, and 2 tablespoons snipped chives; season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Place remaining 1 cup ground matzo in a shallow dish. Evenly divide chilled mixture into quarters, and using your hands, flatten each part into a 4-inch round. Dredge in ground matzo, and set aside on a plate.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook latkes, turning once, until browned on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Roll salmon slices into rosettes. Serve latkes with a dollop of horseradish cream and a salmon rosette; garnish with chives.

POTATO PANCAKES (LATKES)

Steps:

• Grate potatoes and onion into a bowl or pulse in food processor. Drain any excess liquid, then add the eggs, matzo meal, salt and pepper.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon the mixture into hot oil forming small pancakes. Cook until underside is golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until other side is golden and potatoes are cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Serve hot with sour cream or applesauce.

WHOLE WHEAT MATZO LATKES

Steps:

• Beat egg whites until stiff.
• Mix matzo meal with 1/2 cup cold water. Let it soak for 2 to 3 minutes, then mix in wheat germ, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Mix the egg yolks in well.
• Put a 1/4 inch of oil in a pan over medium heat. Fold the egg whites into the batter. When the oil is hot, but not smoky, add the batter, a round tablespoon at a time. When well browned, flip and brown the other side, about 2 minutes per side. Drain quickly on paper towels and serve hot, with sugar, honey or plain.

OUR FAVORITE LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Set racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Place wire cooling racks in the rimmed baking sheets and place in the oven.
• Using a food processor with a grating insert, grate the potatoes and then the onions, transferring grated vegetables to a large bowl when the bowl of the food processor is filled. Alternately, use a box grater. Working in batches, place the potatoes and onions in a clean dishtowel and thoroughly wring out the excess liquid over the sink, then transfer the potato-onion mixture to a large bowl. The more liquid you remove, the crispier your latkes will be, so take your time and use several dish towels if necessary. Reserve the potato-onion mixture.
• In another large bowl, whisk together the matzo meal, salt, and pepper. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the potato-onion mixture and mix well.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt equal parts schmaltz and oil (or oil only if omitting the schmaltz) until a scant 1/4-inch depth of fat is reached. Drop 2 tablespoons of latke mixture into the hot fat, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten latkes slightly using a spatula and cook, turning once, until crisp, golden brown, and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Transfer latkes to wire racks and season with salt; return to the oven to keep warm; season with salt. As you remove latkes from the pan, replace them with fresh spoonfuls of potato mixture to maintain oil temperature. Add additional schmaltz and/or oil around the edge of the pan as needed to maintain a scant 1/4-inch depth of fat.
• Keep latkes warm in oven and serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.

MATZO SCALLION PANCAKES

Steps:

• Cook sliced scallion in 2 teaspoons oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in scallion greens.
• Whisk eggs in a bowl until combined well, then whisk in water. Stir in matzo meal, salt, pepper, and scallion mixture until combined well.
• Heat 1/2 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot. Working in batches of 4, fill a 1/4-cup measure three-fourths full (3 tablespoons) for each pancake, then drop batter carefully into hot oil and spread with back of a spoon to form a 3-inch round. Cook pancakes until undersides are golden, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Turn over with a slotted spatula and cook until undersides are golden, about 1 1/2 minutes more. Transfer to a large rack set on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Add some of remaining 1/4 cup oil as needed between batches.