Apple Cheddar Latkes

Apple Cheddar Latkes

Before this year, I had never had a latke.

I mean, it’s not as if I’d be expected to have eaten latkes before, since I’m not Jewish. (Obviously, all my Jewish friends have been seriously slacking at bringing this sort of deliciousness into my life.)

But still. As someone who loves food, I feel as if it’s one of those things that should be in my life anyways.

Plus, it just plain looks delicious. (I mean, seriously. How can you go wrong with shredded, fried potatoes?)

(Of course, it’s not like I’ve never had potato pancakes before. But I see so many latke recipes all over the place around this time of year, and something just seems special about them.)

So… I’ve been bookmarking latke recipes pretty much forever. But lately I’ve gotten a little better about making particularly delicious-sounding recipes right away when I find them, especially if I just happen to have all the ingredients in my kitchen.

Which, in the case of these apple cheddar latkes from A Cozy Kitchen… I did! Woohoo! Delicious apple cheddar latkes, come to mama.

P.S. I know these aren’t what I, and probably most of you, perceive as the “traditional” latkes, made with potatoes. However, Wikipedia tells me that these are just fine, and everybody knows you can’t put things on the internet that aren’t true. So apple and cheddar it is!

Plus, the leftovers make a fantastic breakfast, especially topped with a poached or soft-boiled egg… mmmm. Dang it, now I’m craving them again.

A delicious combination

Recipe from A Cozy Kitchen.

Ingredients

• 3 large apples (I used 3 large honeycrisps), peeled, cored and grated
• the juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cup extra sharp cheddar, grated
• 1 large egg
• vegetable oil

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium bowl, toss the grated apples with the lemon juice and sprinkle with the salt. Let stand for five minutes.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and black pepper in a separate bowl. In another small bowl, lightly beat the egg and set aside.
3. Drain the apples and squeeze out any extra juice. Place them back in the bowl and add the flour mixture and cheese; toss until the apples are evenly coated. Add the egg and mix until completely combined.
4. Place a skillet over medium-high heat, and pour in vegetable oil until it is half an inch deep. Once the oil is hot, place heaping tablespoons of the apple mixture into the pan a couple of inches apart, slightly flattening each one with the back of a spoon. Cook the latkes on their for about a minute or two until golden brown, then carefully flip them and cook the other side for an additional minute. Drain on paper towels, then place them in a preheated 200°F oven to keep them warm.
5. Repeat with the remaining apple mixture. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of black pepper.