Crispy Golden Potato Pancakes (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Latkes

01 - 3 to 4 medium russet potatoes (about 1½ pounds), cleaned thoroughly
02 - ½ yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 tablespoons matzo meal or plain dry breadcrumbs
05 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 cup canola oil, chicken schmaltz, or a mix of both for frying

→ For Serving

08 - Applesauce
09 - Sour cream

# Instructions:

01 - Set your oven to 200°F and position a rack in the center. Grab two baking sheets—cover one with a double layer of paper towels, and place a wire cooling rack on the other one.
02 - Slice the potatoes crosswise into halves. Using a food processor with the shredding attachment, grate both the potatoes and onion until they're finely shredded.
03 - Pile the shredded potato and onion mixture onto a large piece of cheesecloth folded into three layers. Pull up the corners and tie them around a wooden spoon handle. Let the bundle hang over a big bowl, then twist and squeeze as firmly as you can until every last drop of liquid has been wrung out.
04 - Allow the liquid in the bowl to rest for a couple of minutes so the starch settles at the bottom. Carefully pour away the watery liquid on top, but keep that white starchy layer—it's gold for binding your latkes.
05 - Add your squeezed potatoes and onion back to the bowl with the starch. Crack in the egg, sprinkle in the matzo meal, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together, breaking up any clumps of starch so it's evenly distributed. Let this mixture sit for about 10 minutes.
06 - Pour the oil or schmaltz into a large 10-inch skillet until it's roughly ¼-inch deep. Crank the heat to medium-high and wait until a tiny bit of the mixture sizzles vigorously when you drop it in—that's when you know it's ready.
07 - Scoop up about ¼ cup of the mixture onto a flat spatula or fish spatula. Use your fingers to pat it down into a flat patty about 4 inches across.
08 - Carefully slide each latke into the hot oil, using a fork to gently push it off the spatula if needed. Don't overcrowd the pan—leave some breathing room between each one. Let them fry until they're a gorgeous deep golden brown, roughly 4 to 5 minutes per side. Adjust your heat if they're browning too fast or too slow.
09 - Once they're crispy and golden, move the latkes to the paper towel-lined baking sheet and let them drain for a couple of minutes.
10 - You can serve them right away with applesauce and sour cream on the side, or transfer them to the wire rack in the warm oven where they'll stay crispy for up to 30 minutes while you finish frying the rest of the batch.

# Notes:

01 - Latkes taste best when served fresh and hot, but you can keep them warm in a low oven without losing too much crispiness.
02 - The key to crispy latkes is removing as much moisture as possible from the potatoes and onions before mixing.
03 - Chicken schmaltz adds an authentic, rich flavor, but canola oil works perfectly well for a lighter version.

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