“Latke” is a Yiddish word for an amazingly different pancake. According to the Internet, some versions of latkes can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when they were likely made with cheese, fried in poppyseed oil or butter and served alongside fruit preserves.

These cheese latkes were the most common type in Ashkenazi communities until the 19th century, when the potato was introduced in Eastern Europe. At that time, the most inexpensive and readily available cooking fat was schmaltz. As potatoes gained popularity in Eastern Europe, they were quickly embraced by latke cooks, and today are almost synonymous with potatoes.

Yield: Makes 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS

2 large russet potatoes (scrubbed and cut lengthwise into quarters)

1 large onion (peeled and cut into quarters)

2 large eggs

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil (for frying)

Sour cream (as a condiment at the table)

DIRECTIONS

1. Grate the potatoes and onion. Transfer the mixture to a clean dish towel and wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer the potatoes and onions to a large bowl. Add the eggs, flour, salt, baking powder and pepper. Mix until the flour is absorbed.

2. Pour about ¼ inch of oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, drop a heaping tablespoon of the batter into the skillet for each latke (cook in batches). Use a spatula to flatten and shape the drops into discs. Cook for about 5 minutes, then carefully flip the latkes over. Cook the second side for 5 minutes. Transfer the latkes to paper towels to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt while warm, and cover with more paper towels to retain heat.

3. Repeat the cooking process until all the batter is used. Serve with sour cream at the table.

Tip: Latkes can be made with additional ingredients such as cheese, onion, carrot and zucchini.

Randy Graham is a private chef and author whose cookbooks include “The Ojai Valley Cookbook,” “The Ojai Valley Vegetarian” and the “The Ojai Valley Vegan.”