Savory Apple Potato Pancakes with Thyme

I have always loved potatoes, but of late my obsession has gotten just a little out of hand. Largely because I have a partner in crime who loves them as much as I do.

Jay would eat potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I let him, and frankly, sometimes I am tempted to so I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner too. This week, with Hanukkah on, I was being haunted, full-scale, by a vision of golden potato latkes that kept whispering to me as I woke and slept: cook me, Vaishali, cook me.

I am not one to resist potatoes, especially when they call out my name. So yesterday, I mixed up a batch of these Savory Apple Potato Pancakes with some thyme and green chilies. They were so good, I ate up the first batch hot off the stove, and it took all of my willpower to save some for Jay. I could see, for once, what Desi means when he sometimes tells me he’s raising two kids. I did feel a bit like a kid making candy.

Only, these are better than candy. The apple adds just a hint of sweetness and depth, and the thyme and chilies add a spicy, savory hit that tickles the tastebuds and makes them scream for more.

Latkes are famous for being crunchy and crispy and creamy inside, and these are all that and then some more. I grated the potatoes in my food processor using this trick: grate them the hard way if you’d rather, but trust me, this way saves a lot of time.

Try ’em. And a Happy Hanukkah to all of Holy Cow’s readers!

Savory Apple Potato Pancakes

Print Recipe

Savory Apple Potato Pancakes with Thyme

Crispy savory Apple Potato Pancakes flavored with Thyme. These are gluten-free and vegan.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Side

Cuisine: Jewish

Author: Vaishali

Ingredients

• 3 medium russet potatoes grated
• 2 medium apples grated
• 1/2 red onion grated
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp thyme chopped
• 2 green chilies like jalapeno minced
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• Oil for frying

Instructions

• Place the potatoes, apples and onion in a bowl. Squeeze out as much water as you can, but leave the starch that accumulates at the bottom of the bowl because this will help your pancakes crisp up.
• Mix in all of the other ingredients.
• In a skillet, heat a quarter-inch-deep layer of oil with a high smoking point, like canola.
• Add spoonfuls of the pancake batter to the skillet, pressing down on the top with the back of the spoon to flatten. Leave at least an inch between each of the pancakes to ensure they become golden and do not steam.
• When the underside is golden and crispy, turn over and cook the other side until that's golden.
• Serve hot. It is traditional to serve latkes with applesauce, but they are quite perfect on their own.

Have you tried my Whole Wheat Vegan Challah Bread?