pareve vegetarian hanukkah potato fried side-dish

Belarusian-Style Potato Latkes (Draniki)

Name: Belarusian-Style Potato Latkes (Draniki)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Belarusian Jewish
Ingredients: 12 medium starchy potatoes, about 5.5 to 6 lb, such as Russet potatoes; 1 large onion; 3 large eggs; 3 to 4 tsp kosher salt, to taste; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional); 2 to 3 tbsp potato starch recovered from the grated potatoes, not additional starch; 3 to 5 tbsp matzo meal, only if needed for binding; Sunflower or neutral vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Finely grate potatoes and onion, recover their settled starch, and fry the batter in thin layers. These Belarusian Jewish latkes have crisp edges and a fine, tender center.

Prep: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Servings: 10About 3 medium latkes per person

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Thin irregular potato latkes with uneven golden-brown surfaces, casually overlapping on a white plate

Ingredients

For 10 servings

12 medium starchy potatoes, about 5.5 to 6 lb, such as Russet potatoes
1 large onion
3 large eggs
3 to 4 tsp kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
2 to 3 tbsp potato starch recovered from the grated potatoes, not additional starch
3 to 5 tbsp matzo meal, only if needed for binding
Sunflower or neutral vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Instructions

Peel the potatoes and onion, then grate them very finely. Use the fine grating surface rather than the coarse shredding holes for the smooth Belarusian texture.
Put the grated mixture in a fine mesh strainer or clean towel and squeeze the liquid into a bowl. Let the liquid stand for 1 to 2 minutes so the potato starch settles at the bottom.
Carefully pour off the water. Return about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the settled starch to the grated mixture. If there is much more starch, use only about half to two thirds of it; too much makes the centers gummy.
Mix in the eggs, 3 teaspoons salt, and optional pepper. If the batter needs more binding, add matzo meal a little at a time, using up to 3 to 5 tablespoons only as needed. The batter should be loose and spoonable, slowly slumping off a spoon rather than pouring or holding a stiff mound.
Add a shallow layer of oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Fry a small test latke, then taste it and add more salt to the batter if needed, up to the remaining teaspoon.
Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter into the oil for each latke and spread it thinly. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and crisp. Work in batches without crowding the pan.
Transfer the latkes to a rack or paper towels to drain. Serve hot, or hold the finished batches on a rack in a 200°F oven while frying the rest.

Notes

Estimated yield: 30 to 36 medium latkes, about 3 per person for 10 servings. Allow 30 minutes preparation and about 45 minutes cooking, for 1 hour 15 minutes total. Fine grating and thin spreading give these draniki their distinctive texture. Start with the potatoes' recovered starch and add matzo meal only if the mixture needs help holding together. Excess starch makes the centers gummy, while crowded batches lose their crisp edges. Frying takes 6 to 8 minutes per batch; the full cooking time depends on the size of the latkes and how many fit in the pan.