I’ve been making my mother’s latkes for years now but it turns out my father can’t have flax anymore due to a stomach issue he has. So I had to come up with a new plan for an egg replacer so we could have latkes at our annual family Hanukah party! And the winner is: potato starch. Super easy and really delicious.
Note: You can eat these latkes immediately or refrigerate and reheat covered in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can freeze the latkes and then reheat at a later date. This is usually what I do so that I don’t have to fry on the day of the party.
Makes 22- 24 latkes
2 1/2 lbs. Russet potatoes, about 6 really big ones
1 small onion
1/4 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon salt
Sunflower oil (or other high heat oil), enough to fry the whole batch
Place paper towels on a big baking tray. Set aside.
Fill a bowl with water. As you peel and cut the potatoes in half drop them in the water to stop them from oxidizing. When ready to shred, pour off the water.
Shred the potatoes in a processor with a shredded attachment or on a box grater. Turn the potatoes out into a big colander over a bowl and squeeze out the starchy water. Use your hands for the best results or press with the back of a spoon.
Peel the onion. Shred it in the processor or on the box grater. Mix it into the potatoes.
Add the potato starch and salt and mix around again to be sure everything is incorporated.
Heat a nonstick skillet on medium. Add oil, about 1 turn of the pan. When it is hot, use an ice cream scooper to pick up some latke mix and drop it onto the oil. Press the top town just a bit. Let the first side cook for a few minutes. Use a thin spatula and flip the latkes over and press the latkes down as flat as you can get them. When the second side has browned nicely, transfer the latkes to the tray with the paper towels.
If starchy water starts to accumulate, pour it out as you go. Continue this way until you have used the entire mixture. Enjoy with homemade applesauce or sour cream!