I've had a lot of success with [chef] Steve Raichlen's cooking
method. (recipe follows).
I don't use his recipe exactly but my version is pretty similar. What
I do is:
1. skip parsley
2. Pulse half the grated potatoes with the grated onions them combine
with coarsely grated potatoes. (idea from Cook's Illustrated)
3. When forming latkes, I compact the batter a bit by passing the
batter from hand to hand before putting it on the cookie
sheet. Then I flatten it slightly. I found that just making heaps
caused the latkes to break up too much when I tried to turn them
over.
4. Make them earlier in the day, let cool AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. Reheat
at 350F or 375F.
This article appeared in the New York Times. I'm not sure if what I'm
including is the whole article or whether I removed sections of his
text. Also, I've slightly modified to meet fatfree rules because his
recipe called for either egg replacer or a mixture of mostly whites
but some "not-allowed" yolks.
December 1, 1999
By STEVEN RAICHLEN
The solution lay in a technique I call "bake frying." I cook the
latkes in a little olive oil, just enough to crisp and brown them, on
a nonstick baking sheet in a 450-degree oven. (Olive oil is
traditional, but more cooks use vegetable oil.
Bake-frying works better with smaller pieces of food -- they crisp
better -- so I form my latkes in 2 1/2-inch discs that you can
dispatch in a bite or two.
Bake-fried latkes are lighter and cleaner-tasting than than the oily
potato pancakes. They also make less mess in the kitchen.
The same technique works for sweet potato latkes, which I like to
spice up with cinnamon and nutmeg. Either version can be served with
homemade applesauce and, if you're obsessive, no-fat "sour cream."
LOW-FAT LATKES
Time: 30 minutes
3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 medium onion
One-third cup matzoh meal or unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Olive oil spray
No-fat sour cream (optional)
Applesauce (optional).
1. Place large nonstick baking sheet in oven, and preheat to 450
degrees. Peel potatoes and onion, and coarsely grate. Squeeze handfuls
of grated vegetables tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible.
2. Transfer vegetables to mixing bowl, and stir in matzoh meal, baking
powder, egg substitute, parsley and plenty of salt and pepper. Latkes
should be highly seasoned.
3. Spray baking sheet with oil. Spoon small mounds of potato mixture
onto sheet to form pancakes 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Leave 1 inch
between each.
4. Bake-fry latkes until bottoms are golden brown, for 8 to 10
minutes. Spray tops of latkes with oil. Turn them, and cook until tops
are golden brown. Repeat with remaining dough. Serve at once with sour
cream or applesauce.
Yield: 50 to 60 small latkes; 8 to 10 servings.
Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company