Pittsburghers love potatoes. This is fact; it is canon. It’s why the Potato Patch is sacred and why Primanti Bros. sandwiches sustain their popularity. They’re the garnish to our salads and the innards of our beloved pierogies.
I’m aware, of course, that potatoes are also popular elsewhere — across the U.S. and Canada (poutine, anyone?) and around the world. But here in Pittsburgh, we drizzle the Heinz, we dazzle with Pittsburgh potatoes at a potluck, and we honor our roots (pun intended) by whipping up sweet German potato salad and crispy, savory latkes.
Why did I choose latkes? Because they’re delicious. And also because I had never attempted them before. I assumed they’d be similar to boxty which I’ve made dozens of times, thanks to my Irish roots and my time spent slinging drinks and hot platters at Molly Brannigans in Erie back in my early 20s. And, while they’re similar, latkes are smaller, thinner, crispier, and easier to make — unless you insist on hand-grating the potatoes, of course. Plus, latkes hold a special place in Pittsburgh’s historic Jewish community.
Crispy, well-made latkes can be found at several local delis. If you’re looking for well-made latkes in Pittsburgh, and don’t feel like cooking at home, you can always order some to-go from Smallman Street Deli or Squirrel Hill Market.
If you happen to be in Squirrel Hill during the holidays, you’ll be sure to find some amazing homemade latkes at the local Hanukkah events. Since latkes are a symbol of the miraculous eight days of light, they’re an integral part of the celebration. (Also, don’t skip the donuts if you attend one of these festivals. They’re spectacular.)
Latkes were also a big deal in one of our local historic cookbooks. In 1976, the Three Rivers Cookbook officially became a bestseller. And when the Pittsburgh Press recognized that the locally-curated cookbook had gone the 1976 equivalent of viral, the editor featured two recipes attributed to the book’s success: Potato Latkes and Grandma’s Fudge.
The Three Rivers Cookbook’s Potato Latkes recipe is simple. But when I recreated the recipe, I made sure to use my food processor so that my delicious little pancakes didn’t contain any blood, skin, or tears. Using modern tools also cuts down on the time between starting the recipe and getting yummy potatoes into your mouth.
The original recipe reads as follows:
- 6 medium potatoes
- 1 small onion
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Peel and grate potatoes and onion. Drain liquid. Stir in eggs. Add other ingredients, Mix well. Drop a spoonful at a time into a hot, greased skillet. Brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve with sour cream, sugar, or applesauce. Cooking time: 10-15 minutes. Serves 6.
Simple enough, right? Let’s complicate it a touch…
First, I used my food processor’s grater attachment to grate the potatoes and onions. Then, I placed the grated potatoes and onions in a kitchen towel and drained out the liquid with all my might. But since I have the upper body strength of a typical petite middle-aged mom, there was still some liquid, so I let the mixture dry out under my kitchen fan for about 30 minutes.
Then, I added the rest of the ingredients and mixed them in my large mixing bowl. I set the heat to medium and drizzled some avocado oil in my cast iron skillet. Then, carefully, I plopped my latkes into the hot oil one at a time.
After browning the latkes for about five minutes on each side, I removed them from the pan and let them drain for about five more minutes before gobbling three of them with some sour cream and dried spring onions.
As for the other dozen or so latkes this recipe made, I went ahead and froze them by laying them out on a sheet pan in the freezer before transferring them into a freezer safe ziplock bag.
A day later, I had a hankering for more latkes, this time with some poached eggs. So I reheated them in my air fryer at 375°F for about ten minutes. This is, in my opinion, the best way to reheat latkes because they don’t lose their crisp and heat evenly all the way through.
Here’s a printable PDF of this recipe. Enjoy!
This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2025.
