Bodega Latke Side
לאַטקעס·(laht-kuhs)
Chapter 5 — Sides, Sweets & Drinks
6:30 a.m., the line shuffling forward, the corner flat-top crowded with bacon, foil wrappers, a potato cake hitting a pool of blended oil, the edges letting out a sharp hiss. We are making the bodega latke. Forget the soggy, applesauce-drowned pucks of a suburban synagogue basement. Borrowing a technique from the appetizing shops of the Lower East Side, we separate the eggs. Whipping the whites gives these hyper-dry, schmaltz-fried discs a formidable crust, sturdy enough for a grease-stained paper bag. Get the cast-iron hot, press the potatoes flat, and don't rush the crust.
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes2 1/2 lb
- yellow onion1 med
- scallions1/2 cup
- eggs2 large
- matzo meal1/4 cup
- Kosher salt2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- baking powder1/2 tsp
- neutral oil1 cup
- schmaltz3 tbsp
Method
- 01
Grate the potatoes and onion.
Alternate between grating the potatoes and the yellow onion on the large holes of a box grater into a single bowl. The sulfurous juices from the onion will coat the potato shreds, preventing them from oxidizing and turning a depressing grey.
- 02
Wring out every drop of moisture.
Transfer the mixture to the center of a clean kitchen towel or double layer of cheesecloth, twist it into a tight bundle over a large bowl, and squeeze with everything you have. Wring it until your forearms burn and the shreds feel bone dry; water is the enemy of a crispy latke.
- 03
Recover the natural potato starch.
Set the dried potato mixture aside and let the extracted, cloudy liquid sit completely undisturbed for five minutes. Carefully pour off and discard the watery liquid to reveal a thick, stark-white paste at the bottom of the bowl, then scrape every bit of this pure starch back into your dry potatoes.
- 04
Mix the latke base.
Add the egg yolks, scallions, matzo meal, kosher salt, black pepper, and baking powder to the dry potato and starch mixture. Massage it together with your hands until evenly distributed, then let it sit for five minutes so the matzo meal can begin to hydrate.
- 05
Whip and fold the egg whites.
In a meticulously clean stand mixer bowl, whip the egg whites on medium-high until they hold stiff, shiny peaks. Vigorously stir one-third of the whites into the potato mixture to lighten the batter, then gently fold in the rest until just incorporated, taking care not to knock the air out.
- 06
Fry the latkes in batches.
Heat the neutral oil and schmaltz in a large cast-iron skillet to 350°F. Scoop quarter-cup mounds into the hot oil, pressing them gently with a fish spatula into even three-inch discs, and fry undisturbed until the edges are dark golden brown, about three to four minutes per side.
- 07
Drain and season.
Transfer the fried latkes to a wire cooling rack set over a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with a tiny pinch of extra kosher salt while they still glisten.
Notes
Build the canonical bodega sandwich.
Slice a freshly baked Everything bagel lengthwise, apply a generous layer of scallion cream cheese, place a hot latke on the schmear, and top with a folded fried egg, melted American cheese, and hot sauce.
Reheat in the oven, never the microwave.
If holding for a crowd, keep fried latkes warm on a wire rack in a 200°F oven for up to an hour. To revive day-old latkes, blast them directly on a wire rack in a 400°F oven for five to eight minutes until the oil re-crisps the exterior.