G.G. Sima’s Potato Latkes

When my sister and I began doing recipe research for our catering business many years ago, we decided that mini potato latkes would be a great addition to our list of hors d’oeuvres. Almost everyone likes crispy little nuggets of fried potatoes accompanied by sour cream, applesauce, or both. They are economical and non-threatening. After going through scores of recipes with various quantities of added flour, soaked bread, bread crumbs, matzoh meal, etc., we deferred to Saul’s Mom’s philosophy and recipe which is the height of simplicity.

To her mind, there should be nothing in potato latkes but potatoes, salt, pepper, and eggs, with perhaps the addition of a little bit of grated onion. She eschewed the food processor in favor of a flat, wire grid-type grater to achieve what she considered to be the perfect consistency. We soon gave up trying to produce hundreds of them by hand in favor of a combination of grating disc and steel knife on the food processor to approximate the right consistency.

When making a quantity of these, be sure to prepare the recipe in small batches—only what your frying pan or pans will accommodate immediately after grating and mixing. If you let the batter stand around for more than 15 minutes, the potatoes will begin to turn an unappetizing gray. At one party that we catered, the guests did not like our white-interiored, crispy latkes because their Grandma’s were always gray and soft. Sometimes, there is no accounting for people’s tastes.

G.G. Sima’s Potato Latkes

• peanut oil for frying
• 3 large or 4 small potatoes (preferably russet or Yukon Gold)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp. finely grated onion (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• applesauce (optional)

Begin heating at least a half inch of oil in a large frying pan or wok to a temperature of 365°F. Watch carefully to make sure it does not overheat while you are preparing the batter. Also, make sure that the oil level does not come too close to the top of the pan in case the oil begins to foam.

Peel potatoes and place in a bowl of cold water to prevent oxidation if they will be sitting around for more than a few minutes before grating.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, salt, pepper, and onion (if desired) with a wire whip. Set aside.

Run potatoes through the grating disc of the food processor. Turn out into a clean bowl.

Replace the grating disc with the steel knife. Refill the food processor with the grated potatoes and pulse until desired consistency is achieved, typically, 16-18 short pulses. Turn the mixture out into a small-holed colander or sieve. Squeeze and press out as much moisture as possible.

Add the potatoes to the egg mixture and stir thoroughly. Ease large, rounded tablespoonsful of the batter into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on bottom and then flip each one over to do the same on the other side. Remove from oil with two forks, slotted spoon, or spider and drain on paper towels.

If making several batches, rinse all bowls and utensils in plain, cold water before proceeding to next batch. Hot water will cause the leftover potato starch to cling to the items.

Serve immediately with sour cream or applesauce if desired, or freeze when cool in a single layer, tightly wrapped. To rewarm, bake, uncovered at 350°F. just until heated through.