My apologies to Mr. Fitzgerald, but sometimes one simply has to borrow from another writer. And, after a full day of happy yard work, this was just the ticket.
And, my apologies to all of you who have come to expect posts on the weekend… again, the yard work thing. I got my tomatoes in (pictures to come, I promise), loads of mulch laid down around trees, shrubs, and the little pond, plenty of general clean up, and a massive pruning of my big fig tree which I thought I had lost in the drought last summer. I’m not expecting figs from it this summer as I had to cut it almost back to the ground, but there are a few leaves popping out and I hold out great hope for it: nothing is quite as determined as a fig tree.
Anyway, after a full day of these sort of carrying-on, I was beyond knackered and it took all I had left to shred the potatoes.
A latke, for the uninitiated, is pretty much a dense frittata featuring potatoes as the main attraction. (got this far yesterday, crashed (me not the computer), and just got in from yanking another batch of truly nasty prickly weeds, sorry about the delays!)
Listen, before I get distracted again… here’s one of the easiest and most comforting of foods:
Quickie Latkes
golden brown and delicious...
2 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold are nice)
1/2 medium onion
pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg
1 egg
2 T flour
olive oil
Grate the potatoes and onion into a largish bowl. Add everything else called for and mix well. It should be juicy but not really wet. Add more flour if needed.
Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan. Brown one side over medium heat, flip, lower heat a bit and brown the other. Make either as a giant “frittata” or as smaller pancakes. Mmmmm…
***
Tradition says these are served with sour cream, apple sauce, and (if you don’t keep kosher and aren’t vegetarian) something like pastrami or thinly sliced corned beef. I say serve ’em piping hot with a big fork and mmmmm! Listen, I have about 20 more minutes of daylight, so I’m off to the garden again. Saw my first hummer this week, must be spring!
and then make soup 
Sounds fantastic! It´s another step on from a potato tortilla..I love it. Hope you´ve recovered from all your hard work 😉
By: Chica Andaluza on March 21, 2012
at 9:31 am
I think the big difference is texture – shredded vs chopped or sliced, and a latke is a bit less “eggy” than the tortilla I had in Barcelona, but a pint’s a pound, right? 🙂 MMMMmmmmmm in any event!
By: Rachel on March 23, 2012
at 2:32 am
That bit of nutmeg does so much. Looks wonderful.
By: Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide on March 21, 2012
at 11:44 am
Good for you…getting so much gardening done. The latkes sound terrific. My husband loves his with sour cream and applesauce. I like mind plan.
By: Karen on March 21, 2012
at 8:12 pm
I like mine on a plate with a fork, but I’m not fussy, I can eat ’em out of hand in an pinch!
By: Rachel on March 23, 2012
at 2:30 am
These latkes sound just the thing to restore you after a hard day’s gardening. Delicious – I must try them!
By: chaiselongue1 on March 21, 2012
at 10:09 pm
Perfect timing, it’s time for dinner and there’s nothing in my kitchen but potatoes and a bit of ham. Saved!
By: Lynn at Southern Fried French on March 22, 2012
at 4:06 pm
Happy to help! 🙂 How was it? Mmmm….
By: Rachel on March 23, 2012
at 2:28 am
Try adding some fresh parsley from that garden you are cultivating. Another nice addition is a little bit of grated carrot. I think these are going to be on the menu for breakfast this weekend!
By: Georgia Harper on March 23, 2012
at 1:21 am
Carrots? Sounds like a frittata to me! I’m such a purist (hahahaha…)!
By: Rachel on March 23, 2012
at 2:29 am