how latkes are cooked nyt
Latkes are usually cooked as shallow‑fried potato pancakes in plenty of hot oil until deeply golden and crisp outside and tender inside, and that is also how the classic New York Times–style latke is prepared.
Basic method
Traditional potato latkes are made by:
- Grating potatoes (often with some onion), then squeezing out excess moisture.
- Mixing the potatoes with egg, a little flour or matzo meal, salt and pepper to form a loose batter.
- Heating a generous layer of neutral oil (or schmaltz) in a skillet over medium‑high heat, then spooning in the mixture and flattening into small pancakes.
- Frying until the edges are brown and crisp, then flipping and frying the second side before draining on paper towels.
NYT “classic latke” style
When people search “how latkes are cooked nyt,” they are usually referring to the New York Times’ classic potato latke approach, which emphasizes:
- Crispness : The mixture is thoroughly drained and sometimes combined with a bit of starch so the latkes fry up extra crunchy at the edges with soft centers.
- Stovetop frying: Latkes are cooked in batches in a skillet, not baked, and served straight from the pan for maximum texture.
- Simple toppings: Sour cream, applesauce, and sometimes smoked salmon are common accompaniments in NYT recipes and features.
Key cooking details
A few practical points make a big difference:
- Oil temperature: It should be hot enough that the batter sizzles on contact but not so hot that the outside burns before the inside cooks through.
- Size and thickness: Small, thin patties crisp more easily and are typical of both traditional recipes and modern NYT-style versions.
- Serving: Latkes are best right off the stove or kept briefly on a rack in a warm oven so they stay crisp instead of steaming and softening.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.