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Ramen Carbonara
Julia Moskin, "Breakfast: The Most Important Book About the Best Meal of the Day"
2664 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
2,664
25 minutes
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To the grated potatoes, add 1 grated onion, 2 lightly beaten eggs and 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs (or matzo meal); substitute neutral oil for butter. (Be liberal with the oil.)
Spoon the mixture into the oil to form pancakes; fry until brown and crisp on both sides.
Serve with sour cream and applesauce.
Are you serious-15 minutes? Takes at least that long to grate the potatoes and press out the moisture. Even with a food processor. Please revise to reflect an honest prep time.
Two tips from an excellent cook - use a salad spinner to get the most moisture out of the shredded mix of potatoes and onion. Shred the onion with the potatoes and they won't turn brown.
Breadcrumbs, matzo meal?? Who needs it? Russet potatoes, onions, eggs fried in hot oil result in very crispy potatoe latkes. Now serve with Salmon Roe and sour cream. What a treat.
Have followed this most simple of recipes for 75+ years, first with my mother from Belarus, then with my mother in law from Lithuania and now with my dear better half.
Salmon goes very well with this. Comfort food at its most comforting.
You want to use an oil with a high smoking point - like canola or peanut oil. Use a large non stick pot so the oil splashes the walls of the pot, not the rest of the kitchen. and when you are done cooking, boil some water + orange peel + cinnamon or vanilla to mask the fried oil smell.
The best latke tip ever - drain your potatoes in a salad spinner; a latke game changer !
My father made the latkes in our house. He always drained his on brown paper grocery bags, so that's how I do it. To avoid standing frying while everyone else is eating, I've made these ahead of time, frozen on a sheet pan then at dinner time, blast them in a hot oven. Just as crisp as fresh made.
Agree with everyone who says to be sure to squeeze out the moisture, otherwise you spatter hot oil all over yourself. Also cream of tartar will keep the potatoes from turning pink, while you are frying them in groups of three. If you don’t have matzoh meal then use flour, not bread crumbs, which are too coarse. As you fry, warm the completed latkes in the oven. And, yes, this takes way longer than 15 minutes. Has Bittman actually made latkes?
Squeeze out the moisture from the potatoes through a kitchen towel into a measuring cup. Let the potato starch settle to the bottom and pour off the liquid. Beat the eggs with the potato starch and add to the potatoes. Add salt and pepper. No need for breadcrumbs or matzo meal and the latkes will now be gluten free.
What?! No pepper?! Add some pepper! And more onions.
Your potatoes have the starch you need. Squeeze the shredded potatoes out into a bowl and let the liquid separate. Pour off the water and you’re left with beautiful potato starch that makes these gorgeously crispy. Got the idea from ATK. Their recipe is perfection.
This seems hastily written. There are no instructions at all about how to prep the potatoes (rinse, drain, and wring out is the usual advice I’ve seen). Ingredients normally would say potatoes, grated, onion, grated - rather than assuming the cook knows these things. And why does it say, “substitute neutral oil for butter?” Where was butter ever introduced? Or is this another assumption that the cook automatically knows other recipes use butter?
No, not neutral oil. Flavor is good. I use a mix of neutral oil and either olive oil or peanut oil. Or use schmaltz! And no, not bread crumbs and never butter.
Use Yukon’s - Instead of flour, thoroughly squeeze out the water with a tea towel and add back the potato starch that settles in the bottom of the bowl - 3 eggs instead of 2 - add salt and pepper - fabulous every time!
Wait! Don’t forget the salt! I use at least a teaspoon of kosher salt per batch.
You forgot to squeeze the moisture out of the potatoes after you grate them, and a little flour, not matzo meal or breadcrumbs. ..eccchhhhh
I make these every Christmas for breakfast with applesauce, lox and sour cream. But, instead of egg I salt the potatoes, squeeze out ALL the excess water produced and add a tablespoon of potato starch. Tossed in super hot grease make the most tender and crisp patties.
Has anyone ever tried baking instead of frying? Any comments? Thanks
I used Canola oil for the first time which I actually really prefer now. I didn't have matzo meal but just crushed up a piece of matzo myself with a mortar & pestle. I also added salt & pepper to my mix but that's just me. Definitely serve with applesauce, sour cream, chives & lox for added joy.
This really does leave out a lot of tips that are very helpful to making it a successful recipe. Following notes here, I used both a salad spinner and then a towel to get out extra moisture, and I subbed potato starch for the breadcrumbs. Also, make sure to sprinkle with salt as soon as they come out of the fryer. Topped with creme fraiche and salmon roe. Delish!
Grating the onions with the potatoes doesn’t totally prevent discoloration. Adding acid in small quantities (ascorbic acid, lemon juice) works well. I’ve found proportions to be about 1 egg, 1 Tbs flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt per lb of russets to be about right. 10 lbs potatoes needs about 2 1/2 lbs onions. The size of the grating holes seems to matter. If large, use the chopper blade on about 1/2 the grated potatoes. Add about a cup of chopped parsley, dill, scallions if desired.
I what universe does it only take 15 minutes to make latkes? I guess the on in which you make exactly one latke and everyone else looks on enviously.
This recipe is leaves out a lot of important detail. It basically assumes you know how to make latkes and gives proportions (except it leaves out salt! Add salt!). Additions: 1) grate the potatoes; 2) add the grated onion; 3) let this mixture drain in a colander; 4) wring the mixture out hard in a clean dishtowel (best method is to do this in several small rolls) to reduce excess moisture, before adding the eggs and breadcrumbs or matzo meal; and 5) fry in 1/2" peanut oil. Leave an hour.
There’s no note about squeezing liquid from the potatoes. I DID squeeze them and followed the recipe, and these were perfect.
As onions vary widely in size maybe a clue as to whether a large or small onion? An approximate weight?
You absolutely need salt. And flour.
Can I make the latkes in adt? Any advice about doing this?
My mother never squeezed. She used a slotted spoon to drain mixture before adding to pan. But we always grated by hand. Who does that now?
My family would scream blue murder if I gave them just a couple of latkes each so I cook in batches. I've found that putting each batch on a wire mesh rack in the oven, after draining for a moment or two on paper, keeps them crispier than on just paper.
Agree that this recipe is just enough for 4 without any leftovers.
Squeeze out potatoes into A towel over measuring cup wait for potato starch to Settle on the bottom; Pour off water and add starch to eggs.
While the aroma of frying Latkes is wonderful...at first...after a few days the lingering frying smell gets "old". I've begun frying outside on my grill. I am able to fit two cast iron skillets on the grill and just fry the Latkes outside. No long term frying odors.
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