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Recipe: bake-fried fatfree latkes (from Steve Raichlen)

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