Making latkes may seem easy, but I struggled to find a good recipe.  Finally, after years of trying, I realized that the potatoes need to be very finely shredded until mushy to get the right consistency.  Adding just a few, rather than a lot of, of additional ingredients resulted in the perfect latke.

Every year for the past 8 years I have made latkes for Hanukkah.  My husband was raised Jewish and we try to incorporate the Jewish holidays in to our Christian beliefs.  It’s important to us that our half-Jewish kids know about their Jewish heritage and how Judaism and Christianity intersect.  Apparently, potatoes are a big part of that heritage (joking!).

After 8 years of tweaking and trying and getting just OK latkes, I have finally gotten it right! I also decided to add carrots (and you could add in zucchini, too) just up the vegetable ante.

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The Perfect Latkes (or Potato Pancakes)

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The perfect potato pancake! Serve with sour cream and applesauce.

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes (I used Yukon)
• 1 carrot
• 1 medium onion
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup oil for frying (I use grapeseed or coconut oil)

Instructions

2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
3. Process until mush.
4. Heat oil over medium high in a large frying pan until hot.
5. Using a large scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop mixture into frying pan.
6. Flip pancakes over when the edges are set and fry until browned.