A Taste of Home: Potato Latkes

These delicious latkes were surprisingly easy-to-make. Photo: Daniella Stavin

By DANIELLA STAVIN 

Potato latkes are a Jewish tradition, especially around Hanukkah, and making latkes with my grandma really gets me into the holiday spirit. Usually, I just help her gather the ingredients and then observe while she makes them for me. But this year, as it got closer to Hanukkah, I decided I finally wanted to learn how to make latkes on my own. 

The mixture is simple: potato shreds, onion, eggs, salt, and pepper. Photo: Daniella Stavin

“You can use as many potatoes as you’d like,” my grandma said. “I usually use about five.” We peeled the potatoes and placed them in a bowl with cold water for about 20 minutes.

“We do this to reduce the amount of starch,” my grandma said. “To make them a bit healthier,” she chuckled.

Next, we needed to crush or shred the potatoes using a food processor or a shredder.

“I personally like the shredder more because it produces less potato juice and makes the overall potato pieces more crunchy,” my grandma said. “Although it does take longer because we are shredding by hand, it is worth it.”

Later, we squeezed the juice out of the shredded potato. We repeated this process multiple times until almost all the potato juice was squeezed out. We then shredded half an onion and combined it with the potatoes.

“I prefer to make the latkes with onion because the taste is completely different, more savory,” my grandma said. 

Finally, we finished off our potato mixture by adding two eggs to hold the mixture together, and some salt and pepper.

The significance of potato latkes during Hanukkah relates to the oil they’re cooked in. For three years, the Maccabee Jews fought for their freedom from the Syrian army. When they finally became victorious, they regained the holy temple in Jerusalem. Oil was needed to light the menorah in order to rededicate the temple. However, the Maccabees only found enough oil to keep the menorah burning for one night. Their problem was resolved when a miracle occurred: The oil lasted eight days. During Hanukkah, which commemorates those eight days, it is a tradition to eat potato latkes as they are very oily, which reminds us of that miracle.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they’re delicious. “They are the perfect combination of crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside,” said junior Jessica Sheynin.

And they’re not just a Jewish thing.

The latkes are done when they’re brown on both sides. Photo: Daniella Stavin

“When I used to live in Guyana and come to America for the holiday, I would look forward to my Polish aunt making potato pancakes for me,” said Ramona Sangster, a junior raised in a Christian home with Hindu and Muslim roots. “She would make them for family events or during Christmas and Easter.”

With our mixture ready, Grandma and I heated up the pan with a good amount of oil.  When the pan was hot, we took a spoonful of the potato mixture and plopped it into the pan. 

“I like to make latkes thin because it makes them more crunchy,” she said. “So what I usually do is take a spoon and gently pat them flat while they are frying in the pan.”                 

When both sides of the latke were golden brown, our potato latkes were done and could be removed from the pan. 

“I love making latkes because it makes my grandchildren happy,” my grandma said. “When your grandfather was still alive, he used to make it for our family every year, but since he passed away, I took that tradition over.”

The latkes were actually really easy to make! And now that I’ve mastered them too, I can continue our tradition.