LATKES (serves about 4-6)

What you need:

1 pound potatoes

2 eggs

1 medium onion, peeled and cut up

1/3 cup matzo meal

2 tsp salt

Vegetable oil, for frying

What you do:

1. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks; set aside in a bowl of cold water.

2. Beat eggs in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Pulse onions in a food processor until very finely chopped, then scrape into the bowl with the eggs. Mix.

4. Drain potatoes, then pulse in food processor until very finely chopped (potatoes should still retain some texture).

5. Immediately scrape potatoes into a strainer and press out the moisture with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon. Discard liquid.

6. Immediately stir the potatoes into the egg/onion mixture and add matzo meal and salt. Stir well.

7. Heat about 1/8 inch of oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat until very hot. Spoon out the batter, using about 1/4 cup per pancake. The batter should sizzle lightly as soon as it hits the oil. The first batch will probably be…not so great. Later batches wlll be better – promise!

8. Fry latkes for about four minutes on the first side, and for a little less time on the second side. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with applesauce, sour cream, or whatever you like, really.

Recipe adapted from Arthur Schwartz’s Jewish Home Cooking.