In my family we used to pan fry our latkes but I “fry” them in a hot oven, turning them a few times so they are good and crisp. They are wonderful served with apple sauce made from dessert apples rather than the cooking variety as no additional sugar is required.
Method:
- Peel and coarsely grate the potatoes and onions, keeping them separate.
- Squeeze all the liquid out of the grated potatoes so that they are quite dry and place in a clean bowl.
- Mix the grated onions and potatoes in a bowl and add the eggs, salt, pepper, flour and cinnamon. Mix well.
- Taking a handful of mix at a time, form into flat round patties.
- Pour the sunflower oil into a baking tray, place in oven heated to 225°C and allow the oil to heat — not until smoking but until it is good and warm and shimmery. Then carefully place the latkes in the hot oil.
- Place in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes as they need to cook through and brown well.
- Turn once during cooking so that both sides of the latke are a gorgeous golden brown.
- For the sauce: cut the apples into small pieces.
- Place in a saucepan with a tablespoon or two of water, cover with a lid and put onto a medium heat.
- Stirring intermittently to ensure that they are not sticking, cook until the apples are tender and well broken down.
- For a smoother sauce, continue to cook then puree the apples with a hand blender.
- Serve latkes with apple sauce and sour cream, smetana or crème fraîche.
