Latkaland Potato Latkes
This is the recipe that Oily and the Lunchkins (characters from Adventure in Latkaland) follow when they make their latkes. If you can’t find Potatoland potatoes in your neighbourhood grocery store, russet potatoes are an excellent substitute.
A grownup should definitely help with this recipe – especially when the latkes have to be fried in lots and lots of boiling hot oil!
Ingredients
4-5 Potatoland (or russet) potatoes, peeled
1 small onion, peeled
2 eggs
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
Lots of vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
Grate the potato and the onion. Your grownup helper can use the grating attachment on a food processor for this step – it’s much faster.
Squeeze as much liquid out of the potato-onion mixture as you can. The Lunchkins use two different methods:
Put the mixture in a clean dishtowel, fold the sides up and twist them together (so you have a sort of bag), then squeeze; OR
Put the mixture in a bowl. Take handfuls out of the bowl and squeeze over the sink, then put the squeezed stuff into a second bowl. Grownup helpers might not like this method, but the Lunchkins think it’s quite a lot of fun.
Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl. Then add the flour and salt. Add this mixture to the squeezed potato-onion mixture and mix it all together with a wooden spoon – or your hands, if you prefer.
Now for the real grownup part, so grownup helpers, pay attention! Heat at least a half inch of oil in a large heavy skillet. It will be hot enough to fry your latkes when you drop in a bit of batter, and the batter sizzles right away.
Gently drop heaped tablespoons of potato mixture into the hot oil and flatten with the back of a spoon. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side, or until deliciously golden and crispy.
Remove the cooked latkes from the pan and drain on paper towels. As any Lunchkin will tell you, there’s nothing worse than a greasy latka!
Serve your latkes with apple sauce, sour cream or a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar…or just eat them plain.
ENJOY!!!!