Fry

Grandma Becky’s potato latkes

November 21, 2010
5
1 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

No other recipe quite matches up to the golden memories of our Grandmother’s potato latkes (this recipe is jointly contributed by Joan G and Apple Annie.) Grandma Becky left her family home in Krynki, Poland at the tender age of 16,(ca 1914) to join two of her brothers in the US. She was “smuggled out” through Hamburg to England where she sailed for Ellis Island. The photo was taken shortly after she arrived and she is wearing a fur hat and scarf from the "old country." When we knew her, cooking for family and friends was her greatest joy. Her latkes were food for the gods, and we gobbled them up as fast as she could fry them. Fortunately she made them frequently, not just at Hannukah. Our grandfather patiently grated the potatoes and onion for her on a box grater, and our parents joked that a tiny bit of his fingers were grated into the batter as well, a secret ingredient. She typically served the laktes to accompany roast chicken or pot roast, perhaps with homemade applesauce but no sour cream. She never used baking powder. This recipe faithfully reproduces Grandma’s ingredients but has been adapted for the food processor. —AppleAnnie

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 7 potatoes
  • 1 onion
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup matzo meal
  • 1 teaspoon salt (recorded as "a sprinkling of salt")
  • oil for frying
Directions
  1. Peel potatoes and put in cold water to keep from browning. Shred the potatoes in a food processor. Remove from workbowl and transfer to another bowl.
  2. Cut the onion in quarters. Insert knife blade into processor and rough chop the onion. Add eggs, salt, matzo meal, and flour to onions in the work bowl and process until mixture is smooth.
  3. Add half of shredded potatoes to the egg-onion mixture in work bowl and process until smooth, taking care not to let the onions get too finely pulverized.
  4. Transfer the batter into the bowl with the rest of the shredded potatoes and mix.
  5. Heat the oil in the frying pan until a drop of water sizzles. Drop batter by spoonfuls and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in moderate oven if necessary.
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10 Reviews

Janice1234 November 25, 2019
Nice recipe. I would only suggest a few things: squeeze the water out of the potatoes after shredding and use self-rising flour and add 1/4 tsp black pepper to the mixture.
 
Lizthechef November 23, 2010
A recipe with a family history - beautiful, my favorite...Thumbs up!
 
ashleychasesdinner November 23, 2010
I love the picture, the story and the recipe!!
 
MakeThatMakeThis November 23, 2010
This is a beautiful photograph. Thank you for sharing your story.
 
testkitchenette November 22, 2010
I loved hearing your family history...what a wonderful photograph and legacy to her. My great grandmother arrived from Poland in about 1914 or so as well. I look forward to adding these to my latke repetoire.
 
lapadia November 22, 2010
THANKS so much for sharing! Love reading about your Grandmother coming to America (my Italian mother came 8yrs after her). Love reading your latkes family tradition....all year! I did not grow up with this tradition but love potato pancakes and so I posted my own.
 
JoanG November 22, 2010
A wonderful tribute to our grandmother who is our cooking inspiration and who is in our hearts and memories, especially when we make and taste these golden treats. For Proust is was a madeleine. For us, it is that first bite of a potato latke (pancake).
 
Sadassa_Ulna November 22, 2010
What a beautiful story and photograph! Now I want to know how Grandma Becky and your grandfather met. I must try these, thanks for posting this recipe!
 
lapadia November 22, 2010
same here!
 
Sagegreen November 28, 2010
What a wonderful history!