Potato Pancakes for Hanukkah

Potato pancakes come in a variety of styles.  As with many traditional Jewish dishes, the style of potato pancake one prefers depends on one’s family tradition.  Some people like large, thick pancakes.  Others prefer paper thin, crisp pancakes made with very finely shredded potatoes rather than with grated potatoes.  Some people even make potato pancakes with sweet potatoes rather than with white potatoes.  The following is a recipe for a fairly standard potato pancake with some variations for those who are more daring.

�STANDARD� POTATO PANCAKES

Ingredients

• 8 medium size white potatoes (about 2½ pounds) (baking potatoes)
  
• 1 large lemon
  
• 1 large onion
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 2 tablespoons of matzoh meal or flour
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• Oil for frying � any light vegetable oil is fine.  Olive oil is not recommended because of its distinctive flavor.
  

Directions

1. Prepare a large bowl half filled with cold water.  Squeeze the juice of one lemon into the water.
   
2. Wash and peel the potatoes and place them into the water.  (The lemon juice keeps them from turning color.)
3. Finely grate the onion.  Onion is best when it is slightly “pulpy.”   Remove any large pieces and discard. Set the onion aside.
   
4. Grate the potatoes with a hand grater or in the bowl with an electric mixer.  Don't let them get too “pulpy.”  (Note: Some people prefer to use the �shredding blade.� Pancakes made with shredded potatoes are generally thin and crispy.  Hand-grated potatoes or potatoes grated in an electric mixer tend to be thicker and softer.)
   
5. As potatoes are grated, place them in a strainer suspended over a bowl to drain.
   
6. When all potatoes are grated, use your hands or a wooden spoon to press as much liquid as possible out of the potatoes.  Save the potato liquid.
   
7. In a large, clean bowl, beat the two eggs until well mixed.
   
8. Add the potatoes, the onions, and salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tablespoon of salt and about 1 teaspoon of ground pepper usually works well).
   
9. Carefully discard the watery part of the drained potato liquid and add the starchy liquid at the bottom of the bowl to the potato and onion mixture.