Pancakes: Re: Potato Pancakes Latkes

Subject: Re: Potato Pancakes Latkes
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: olegator (olegator at nettally.com)
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2001 17:43:06 -0500
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We serve unsweetened applesauce with ours, a la Perkins'

Robin Cowdrey (rcowdrey at telusplanet.net) wrote:
> For Nightshade and Flat (andersons at eatel.net) who wrote:
>
> "My mom used to make fabulous potato pancakes where she
> grated potatoes and onions and added flour and salt, but I
> don't remember the ratios. Could someone please help?"
>
> These are wonderful. We have them often for Sunday brunch with sour cream
> and a side of crispy bacon. I get everything ready leaving the potatoes
> 'til the last minute, run them through the food processor using the coarse
> grater blade, tip them into a clean tea towel, wring them until almost dry,
> then mix everything together quickly. I've got a grill that covers 2 burners
> that works perfectly for cooking them. Bacon gets done in the microwave.
>
> Robin
>
> Potato Pancakes Latkes
>
> 6 baking potatoes
> 3 eggs
> 1 cup grated onions; drained
> 4 teaspoons matzo meal or all-purpose flour
> 2 teaspoons salt
> 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
> pinch pepper
> vegetable oil for cooking
>
> Peel potatoes; using largest holes of hand-held grater, grate into bowl.
> Drain liquid. In another large bowl, beat eggs; mix in potatoes, onions,
> matzo meal, salt, baking powder and pepper.
> Pour oil into skillet to depth of about 1/4 inch; heat until hot but not
> smoking. Using 1/4 Cup mixture per latke, add batter to skillet, leaving
> about 1 inch between each. Flatten slightly with back of spoon. Cook,
> turning with slotted spatula halfway through, for 5 to 6 minutes or until
> crisp and golden. Transfer to paper towels; drain well. Serve hot.
>
> Contributor: Canadian Living Magazine
>
> Yield: about 20
From: penmart01 at aol.como (Sheldon)
Date: 05 Sep 2001 11:37:03 GMT
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>> For "Nightshade and Flat" <andersons at eatel.net>
>> who wrote:
>>
>> "My mom used to make fabulous potato pancakes where she
>> grated potatoes and onions and added flour and salt, but I
>> don't remember the ratios. Could someone please help?"

Good you didn't call them Latkes.
From: Grandma (krmwb at earthlink.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Sep 2001 14:10:45 GMT
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My German landlady made Potato Pancakes at least once a week for lunch and always either invited me for lunch or brought me some. I'm afraid that one very young American girl grossed poor Lydia out to the max by putting ketchup on them. Still make them to this day - and we all put ketchup on them :)

On the other hand, french fries served German style with mayo instead of ketchup are remarkably wonderful.
From: Damsel in dis Dress
Date: Wed, 05 Sep 2001 16:34:18 GMT
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I love potato pancakes with sour cream! Fabulous stuff!
From: black coffee (zhu_chaiNOJUNK at yahoo.com)
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2001 22:27:03 +0800
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I use this recipe by Claudia Roden (from "The book of Jewish Food"). Have a look. Just thought it might work...

Potato Latkes
serve 6

1 kg/ 2 1/4 lb potatoes
2 large eggs
salt
oil for frying

Peel and finely grate the potatoes. Put them straight into colder water, then drain and squeeze them as you can by pressing them with your hand in a colander. This is to remove the starchy liquid, which could make the latkes soggy.

Beat the eggs lightly with salt, add to the potatoes, and stir well. Firm the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat. Take serving-spoonfuls, or as much as 50 ml/ 2 fl. oz., of the mixture and drop into the hot oil. Flatten a little and lower the heat so that the fritters cook through evenly. When one side is brown, turn over and brown the other. Lift out and serve very hot.

** You may add black pepper, chopped parsley and finely chopped onion to the egg and potato mixture.
** Adding 4 T. of potato flour binds the fritters into firmer, more compact cakes, easier to handle but not quite as lovely to eat.
** serve with a large dollop of sour cream or apple sauce.