Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original Cook's Illustrated
Equipment
2 Rimmed Baking Sheets
Wire Rack
12-inch Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
Potato Latkes:
2lbsrusset potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and shredded**Use the largest holes of a box grater
½cupgrated onion**Use the largest holes of a box grater
1tspKosher salt
2largeeggs
Vegetable oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Fresh chives, snipped, to taste
Serve with:
Sour cream
Applesauce
Instructions
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Shred the potatoes and onion then place the shreds into a large bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and toss to coat evenly. Place half of the potato mixture on a clean dish towel. Gather the ends together and twist tightly to drain as much liquid as possible, reserving the liquid in a measuring cup.
Transfer the drained potato to a second microwavable bowl and repeat the process with the remaining potato mixture. Set potato liquid aside and allow the starch to settle to the bottom, for at least 5 minutes.
Cover the potato mixture with a paper towel and microwave until just warm, but not hot, for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring the mixture with a fork every 30 seconds. Spread the potato mixture on a second rimmed baking sheet and let cool for 10 minutes. Don't wash out the bowl.
Pour out the water from the reserved potato liquid, leaving potato starch in a measuring cup. Add eggs to the starch and whisk until smooth and well combined. Return the cooled potato mixture to the bowl then top with the egg mixture and season with freshly cracked pepper, to taste; toss until evenly combined.
Set a wire rack on a clean rimmed baking sheet then top with a triple layer of paper towels. Heat 1/4-inch depth of vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking (about 350 degrees).
Place a 1/4-cup mound of potato mixture in oil and press with a nonstick spatula into a 1/3-inch-thick disk. Repeat until 5 latkes are in the skillet. Cook, adjusting the heat so the oil bubbles are latke edges, until golden brown on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip them over and cook for about 3 minutes longer. Drain on paper towels and transfer to the baking sheet preheated in the oven.
Repeat with remaining potato mixtures, adding oil to maintain a 1/4-inch depth and returning oil back to 350 degrees between batches. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Place them on a serving plate and top with snipped chives. Serve immediately with sour cream and applesauce. Enjoy.