You know my grandparents really knew how to cook. It seems to me that everyone born in “the Old Country” (in this case, Transylvania) was born with built-in cooking intuition. Somehow, they could create the most scrumptious meals using no fancy equipment, nor even measuring spoons. I recall that they hosted every holiday humbly, turning out the expected delicacies with what seemed like the simplest, most relaxed effort. No exotic flavor profiles, nor food combos or wine pairings; no attempts at reinventing the wheel, because when the food is that good – no, make that superb – there’s no need to find a “twist” on the recipe.
On Chanukah, we were treated to their potato pancakes, “latkes” that were classic and simple. My grandfather, a professional chef, wore a manly white waist apron that suited him perfectly. His latkes were made of eggs, onions, potatoes, oil, salt, pepper, and a little matzo meal to make them crunchy. “Cornmeal, that’s also good, if you don’t have any matzo meal,” he would say reassuringly, though you knew that he secretly wondered what kind of kitchen would not have a handful of matzo meal somewhere. The potatoes were hand-grated so fine –almost to a pudding-like consistency – then lightly fried in a pan that looked as though it, too, had just come over from the Old Country. Applesauce and sour cream traditionally accompany latkes, but who needed them? Crispy on the edges, with a fluffy, buttery smooth center, Grandpa’s version of this Chanukah delicacy could stand alone.
MORE: The Ultimate Hanukkah Guide
The first Chanukah after my wedding, I called my grandfather for his latke recipe. He gave it to me with “measurements” like “a sprinkle of salt, a few spoons of matzo meal, some oil…” All the while, I wished I had watched him in action when he was in his prime. I could have taken notes, measured out the amounts he used, studied his grating technique.
But I was on my own. Tasked with recreating Grandpa’s latkes, I tried and failed, tried and failed – until I finally produced something that is reminiscent of his glorious, crunchy potato perfection. The recipe went into my first published cookbook, Quick & Kosher: Recipes from the Bride Who Knew Nothing. I have reprinted these Classic Potato Latkes here and created a how-to video that you can watch below so you can see how easy it is to make.
My husband and kids say these latkes are the best in the world. They are very good, but they’re not my Grandfather’s. Maybe it’s my food processor and that fancy-shmancy skillet.
These are the only plain potato latkes I make, but I love to top them with all sorts of things and make latkes out of every other vegetable too. Check out My 11 Latke Loves for more favorite latkes.
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Servings
Ingredients
- 4 medium Idaho potatoes
- 6 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 eggs beaten
- 2 tablespoon matzoh meal
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- Applesauce or sour cream optional
Instructions
- Prepare a large bowl filled with cold water.
- Peel potatoes, and as you finish each, place in cold water to prevent browning.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cut potatoes lengthwise into halves or quarters so they fit into food processor feed tube. Process potatoes using the blade that creates thin, shoestring-like strips and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add eggs, matzoh meal, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Drop 6 to 8 spoonfuls of mixture into hot oil. Using the back of a spoon, pat down each latke to flatten it. Put as many as you can in the skillet without crowding. Putting them too close together will make them soggy.
- Fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp around the edges; repeat procedure until finished with all the batter.
- Blot excess oil with paper towels.
- Serve warm with applesauce or sour cream, if desired.
love it too! My hubby’s brother has an equally funny but way less PC story that took him from public school to hebrew day school with one comment in one day!
lol! nxt stop the white house menorah 🙂 JK Holy Land hotel menorah is much cooler!
you gave me the chills! can you take a pict and post on our FB page?
I agree — I am so excited for tmrw night/the first night!
yay thank you SO much!
I was in Israel for Channukah and lit the first night in the Hotel dining room. Somehow they lost my menorah and until they bought me one to replace it, they told me to light this gigantic menorah in the hotel lobby. It was quite an experience.
My favorite Chanukah memory is as a child playing dreidel with dozens of yummy chocolate coins, and always eating tons of chocolate even without winning!
Chanukah in our school was always fun! My favorite was the year when everyone in the class had to bring tons of candy and we played dreidel with candy!
My favorite Chanukkah recipe is eating sufganiyot at Hebrew school.
My favorite memory was being able to pick out the color scheme for the candles in the menorah each night…for some reason I loved that resonsibility!!
I remember the smetna(sour cream) pancakes my grandmother would make. It brought warmth and light to all that were over. nothing like a memory of home….not to mention the feeling of the gift wrap up to our knees
I loved seeing all the menorahs in outside weather proof boxes sitting on the porches of yerushalayim…and the menorah lighting at the Kotel
I made a chanukah shabbos meal last year, I worked so hard to get everything just right. I found chanukah poppers which was a really fun addition to my meal. I made a chanukah menorah out of a branch I sprayed silver and made a menu fit for Chanukah. All my hard work paid off, the meal was beautiful – I really felt Chanukah in the air. I think sometimes people dont focus on chanukah so much since it’s not a yom tov we go to shul etc but it really is such a beautiful (and fun) yom tov that is a wonderful time for friends and family.
Love ur story.
I tried making ur latkes…. they are heaven!!!!!!
im totally making them for my family Chanukah party!
looking for carrot and beet latke
carol gross
My most favorite Channukah memory will be the first Channukah I spend with my grandaughter, Aubrey! She lives so far away, but they’ll be moving here soon!
walking around yerushalayim smelling fresh hot donuts (and eating a few) and seeing all the windows flickering with menorahs.
Thanks for sharing, I love this story.
I have made latkes for so many classrooms, sang homemade latke songs and wrote my own kids book (non professionally of course) of The Little Latke Man (see the Gingerbread man for the idea)
With my kids being more religious than most of those in their class, we love inviting them for a true Chanukah party, dreidel games, homemade latkes (my grandmother’s recipe) and the best sufganiot ever!
Making donuts on Chanukah with my grandmother who has since passed away.
When I was five, my parents were very traditional but not observant and when Chanuka was coming and I was in public school I planned all day to sing “I wish you a merry Xmas” . Well I did and ended up in Yeshiva the next day! Glad I have a devilish side to me!!!
We didn’t celebrate Chanuka when I was a child, but I get such joy from lighting the menora with my children now.
When we had a chanuka arty My best memory was when my Grandfather alov hashalom, gave us chocolate coins. I just remember the love and joy he had for us.
Without latkas chanukah wouldn’t be Chanukah.I thought my bubbys recipie was the best but I was wrong, yours is the best.
My favorite Chanukah memories are from when I was young and we’d gather with our cousins and light the menorah, play dreidels, eat doughnuts and get gifts!
Just making latkes & having oil all over the kitchen
Love your story, but the recipe will not come up.
Reading an article about the best 15 doughnuts in Jerusalem and then trying what is supposedly the best donuts only to discover that Israelis do not know how to make a decent jelly donut.
Being in Israel at a Chanukah fair in the German Colony in Jerusalem and watching an Israeli “Beatles” band announce in Hebrew that they were going to sing “She Love You” and then singing it in perfect English.
Chanukah was a special time when my father, may he rest in peace, would pick me up to light the menorah with him. I like to pick up a grandchild now.
My parents used to host a huge Chanuka party for all the cousins until the family got too big, KAH!
Making latkes for my children’s classrooms. They were usually the only Jewish kids in the class and those that might have been knew nothing. I would take my electric skillet, some potatoes that still needed to be grated and every child got to either grate, mix or pour. We would bring our Chanukah story books and read to the class as well. My kids still remember how proud they were and they are all in their 30’s now.
this is really nice. latkes are amazing and having a family recipe is always nice. my favorite memory is when my cousins came over for channukah and we all lit menorahs and had latkes and homemade applesauce together
My favorite memory is seeing the pure look of joy on my son’s face when he was allowed to light his menorah, on his own for the first time! His face shone brighter than the candles!,
My favorite Chanukah memory is watching my mother (of blessed memory; may she rest in well-deserved shalom) grate potatoes for latkes using a metal grater. Afterwards, I loved the smell of frying latkes. The best part, of course, was eating the fresh, yummy latkes with sour cream and applesauce!
Hmmm…I thought of 2 memories – visiting my Jerusalem native Bubby and eating her sufganiot. And making latkas with my sister from one of those instant boxes. (which I don’t think we would’ve used had we known how easy and so much better real latkas are)
I am on the road to conversion and have always had a Jewish connection. My Christian parents sent me to a Jewish nursery school – it was the closest to us my mother reasoned.
I still have faint memories of celebrating my first Chanukah – when I was 4.
I now look forward to creating new memories with my husband and daughter