Giant Shareable Latke

I love latkes so much, but sometimes it can get a bit tedious to stand over the stove frying up a bunch of individual potato pancakes. This Giant Shareable Latke has all the flavors (and crunch) from the classic smaller version but it eliminates that tedious work. Chuck the mixture into a large pan and cook into one giant latke. Slice and serve with your favorite bagel toppings. I like an herby crème fraîche (or sour cream would work too), along with some scallions, fresh dill, capers and smoked salmon. If you want to keep things vegetarian, just omit the salmon. Alternatively, if you want to go super fancy, you can top with salmon roe instead. The options are limitless!

Using the large holes on a box grater, shred the potatoes and place in cold water. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.

*Tip: Allowing the shredded potatoes to soak in cold water removes excess starch from the potatoes which will make the latke crispier and it prevents it from turning grayish/purple.**

Drain and rinse. Place the shredded potatoes onto a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

**Note: Do not skip this skep because it’s very important. You want the potatoes to be as dry as possible because that ensures a crispier latke.

Transfer to a large bowl along with the grated onion, matzo meal, salt, pepper, egg, caraway, and chives. Stir until evenly combined.

**Note: Matzo meal is a traditional binder for latkes but if you can’t find it, plain bread crumbs will work in a pinch.**

Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil into a hot skillet and allow to get hot. Transfer the potato mixture to the hot skillet and press out to an even layer, pressing slightly. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes and then carefully invert onto a plate. Return the skillet to the heat and drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Slide the potato pancake bake until the skillet and cook the second side for another 4 to 6 minutes.

To make the herby crème fraîche, in a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche, chives, dill and lemon zest until smooth. Set aside until ready to serve.

**Note: If you’re not a fan of crème fraîche or just can’t find any, you can use sour cream instead. This can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.**

Turn the latke out onto a serving plate or platter. Top with spoonfuls of the crème fraîche, salmon (if using), scallions, capers, and dill. Slice and serve with additional crème fraîche on the side along with lemon wedges.

The best part of this recipe (along with many brunch recipes) is that you can eat it at room temperature or warm. So you don’t have to worry about it being super hot before serving, which also means you can plan ahead and make it early on.

If you do want to make this ahead of time (it warms up nicely in the oven), just don’t add any of the toppings until right before serving.

Don’t let your next breakfast or brunch go by without making this giant shareable latke. It’ll honestly become a favorite. It’s also not just for brunch or breakfast, it would make a fantastic side dish as well. Simply serve with a dollop of sour cream and/or applesauce. Let me know what you think below, and as always thank you for reading and following along!