Crisp potato latkes topped with cool soured cream and caviar are a celebration dish with deep roots, a staple of Hanukkah tables and, in their miniature form, one of the most satisfying canapes you can serve. The contrast is everything: a hot, golden, lacy pancake, fried until the edges are shatteringly crisp, cooled by a dab of creme fraiche and crowned with a pearl of caviar that bursts with cold brine. Full-sized they are a meal; made small they are the kind of party bite people talk about afterwards.
The secret to a great latke is dryness. Wringing every drop of liquid from the grated potato is what gives you a crisp, lacy pancake rather than a soggy one, and it is worth the extra few minutes with a clean tea towel.
Why the caviar matters
The latke and cream are warm, rich, and savoury, and the caviar answers with cold, clean brine and a burst of texture that lifts the whole bite. It is added off the heat, at the very last moment, so it never cooks: the pleasure is the cold pearls against the hot pancake. A good Oscietra or classic caviar gives the nutty, briny pop this dish is built around. Keep it cold and spoon it with mother-of-pearl or bone.
Ingredients
- 2 large potatoes (about 500g), such as Maris Piper
- 1 small onion
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons plain flour or matzo meal
- Salt and black pepper
- Neutral oil, for frying
- Creme fraiche or soured cream, to serve
- 30 to 50g caviar
- Snipped chives or dill, to finish
Equipment
- A box grater or food processor
- A clean tea towel for wringing
- A heavy frying pan
Method
- Grate and wring. Coarsely grate the potatoes and onion. Pile onto a clean tea towel and wring out as much liquid as you can. This is the key to crispness.
- Mix the batter. Tip the dried potato and onion into a bowl with the beaten egg, flour, a good pinch of salt, and pepper. Combine well.
- Fry until crisp. Heat a shallow layer of oil in a heavy pan. Add small spoonfuls of the mixture, flattening each into a thin disc, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes a side until deep golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season with a little salt.
- Top and serve. Let the latkes cool for a minute so they do not melt the cream. Add a dab of creme fraiche, crown each with a pearl of caviar, scatter with chives, and serve at once.
Chef's notes and common mistakes
- Wring the potatoes hard. Wet batter steams instead of frying and gives limp latkes. Squeeze out every drop of liquid before mixing.
- Fry in hot oil. Oil that is not hot enough soaks in and makes greasy latkes. It should sizzle immediately when the batter hits it.
- Cool before the caviar. Add the caviar to warm, not hot, latkes so the pearls stay firm and cold. Never let it near the heat of the pan.
- Keep them thin. Thin, lacy latkes crisp through; thick ones stay doughy in the middle.
Variations
Add a little grated apple or a spoon of chopped chives to the batter. Sweet potato or celeriac can replace some of the potato for a different flavour. A sliver of smoked salmon under the caviar makes them richer. Serve full-sized as a brunch main, or silver-dollar small for a passed canape.
Make ahead and storage
Latkes are best hot and fresh, but they reheat surprisingly well: cook them ahead, cool, and refrigerate for up to two days, then crisp them in a hot oven for a few minutes before topping. They also freeze well uncooked-side-up on a tray. Add the creme fraiche and caviar only once the reheated latkes have cooled slightly, never before.
Serving and pairing
Serve as a festive canape or a lavish brunch, warm from the pan and topped to order. The combination of crisp potato, cold cream, and briny caviar is made for a glass of ice-cold Champagne or a shot of frozen vodka, the traditional Eastern European partner. It is a generous, celebratory dish, and one that rewards a little effort with real delight.
