Latke Waffles

“Do you still have your waffle maker”, I asked my sister. “I’m not sure”, she replied thoughtfully. Since Japanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing hit book store shelves in 2014, decluttering has reached amateur sport levels in North American homes. Decluttering with the KonMari method means only keeping objects in your home that “spark joy.” Objects that don’t spark joy are thrown out or given away. My own efforts at disposing of things that don’t “spark joy” have been seriously inadequate.

Latke Waffles

I went through my kitchen cabinets with the best intentions. I held one object after another close to my heart and the only thing that I could part with was a chipped Pyrex casserole dish that was a housewarming gift from dear Aunt Esther forty years ago. The mini tortilla bakers, lattice pie molds, pour-over Japanese coffee pot, embossed rolling pin, five Pyrex pie dishes (I wish that I was making any of this up) and waffle maker were tucked back into their respective cupboards. I blessed the kitchen designer that convinced me that cabinets that reached the ceiling were non-negotiable.

But at the end of the day, I was very grateful that I had hung on to that waffle maker when this recipe for latke waffles by food writer Bonnie Stern, published in the National Post, caught my eye. Latkes fried in oil are traditionally made to celebrate the holiday of Chanukah. But for those who are looking for a lighter option, these latke waffles are a great solution. Served with a sunny-side up egg on top and a little bit of sour cream and salsa on the side, you won’t miss the oil. But for all you purists, this recipe also makes delicious traditional fried latkes. My sister happily reported that she found her waffle maker. Thankfully it “sparked joy” or more likely remained hidden during her last round of decluttering. Happy Chanukah!!

Assemble your ingredients. Don’t worry if you don’t have a waffle maker. This recipe can also be used to make traditional fried potato latkes.

Peel the potatoes and chop the onion into four chunks. Place the onion and eggs in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the steel blade (S-blade). Process until onion chunks are no longer visible. Place the onion and egg mixture into a large bowl. Add the salt and pepper.

Switch out the steel blade in the processor bowl for the grating blade. Grate the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a sieve and press hard on the potatoes with a spoon to drain any excess liquid. Add the potatoes to the egg and onion mixture. Add the flour or matzoh meal and baking powder to the bowl. If you are making waffles, add two tablespoons of oil to the potato mixture. Skip this step if you are making traditional fried latkes.

Spray the waffle maker with baking spray and preheat it on medium high heat. Scoop up 1/2 cup of the latke batter and spread it out on the waffle maker. Flatten the potato mixture with a spatula. Close the waffle maker and cook for five minutes. The latke waffle should be golden brown and crispy when done. Eat right away or place the latke waffles on a baking pan and keep them warm in a preheated 300 F. oven while you make the rest of the latke waffles. Serve them with sour cream, lox, salsa, guacamole, or the toppings of your choice. You can also top the latke waffle with a sunny-side up egg, my favorite.

To make traditional potato latkes, heat 1/4-inch of oil (about 1/2 cup) in a large non-stick skillet. Add batter, using 1/4 cup measure per pancake, to the pan and flatten them a bit with the back of a spoon. Cook until browned and crisp three to four minutes per side. Spread a baking sheet with paper towels and place the fried latkes on the towels to absorb the excess oil. If the frying pan seems dry, add additional oil between batches.

Print Recipe

Latke Waffles

Vegetables and Sides

By Bonnie Stern, National Post – Serves: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 25 minutes – Total Time: 40 minutes

Golden, crispy latke waffles. Don't skip the toppings; they hide in the little waffle pockets for an extra flavor punch.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, cut into chunks
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large baking potatoes or Yukon Golds (about 2 lbs), peeled and cut into halves or quarters to fit your food processor
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or matzo meal
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (only for waffles)

Instructions

1

Peel the potatoes and chop the onion into four chunks. Place the onion and eggs in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the steel blade (S-blade). Process until onion chunks are no longer visible. Place the onion and egg mixture into a large bowl. Add the salt and pepper.

2

Switch out the steel blade in the processor bowl for the grating blade. Grate the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a sieve and press hard on the potatoes with a spoon to drain any excess liquid. Add the potatoes to the egg and onion mixture. Add the flour or matzoh meal and baking powder to the bowl. If you are making waffles, add two tablespoons of oil to the potato mixture. Skip this step if you are making traditional fried latkes.

3

Spray the waffle maker with baking spray and preheat it on medium high heat. Scoop up 1/2 cup of the latke waffle mix and spread it out on the waffle maker. Flatten the potato mix with a spatula. Close the waffle maker and cook for five minutes. The latke waffle should be golden brown and crispy when done. Eat right away or place the latke waffles on a baking pan and keep them warm in a preheated 300 F. oven while you make the rest of the latke waffles. Serve them with sour cream, lox, salsa, guacamole, or the toppings of your choice.

Traditional Potato Latkes

4

Heat 1/4-inch vegetable oil (about 1/2 cup) in a large non-stick skillet. Add batter, using 1/4 cup measure per latke, to the pan and flatten them a bit with the back of a spoon. Cook until browned and crisp 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain the latkes on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. If the frying pan seems dry, add additional oil between batches.