Potato Latkes

1. Stage

Make the potato-onion mixture: Peel the potatoes and place them in a bowl of cold water until needed (this helps prevent graying as well). Chop 3 of the potatoes and the onion into 1-inch chunks; leave the last potato in the water. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chopped potatoes and onion. Pulse the mixture until it forms a pulp-like puree, scraping down the sides of the work bowl once or twice.

2. Stage

Squeeze the potato-onion mixture: Fold a large square of cheesecloth on itself until you have 4 layers and a roughly 12-inch square. Line a colander with the cheesecloth. Tip the potato-onion mixture into the colander. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth around the potato-onion mixture and begin twisting. Keep twisting the top and squeezing the ball of potatoes and onions with your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible (you may get up to a cup of liquid). Leave the potato mixture in the cloth once squeezed to reduce exposure to air (which can start to turn the potatoes gray).

3. Stage

Grate the last potato: Grate the potato on the coarse side of a box grater.

4. Stage

Make the batter: Transfer the potato mixture from the cheesecloth to a bowl. Add the grated potato, flour, eggs, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

5. Stage

Fry the latkes: In a large cast iron or non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When it is shimmering (a crust of bread will brown in 10 seconds), add large, generous spoonfuls of the batter to the pan (about 1/4 cup of batter) — you will probably fit in 4 or 5 mounds. Use the bottom of the spoon to flatten the mounds. Cook for 3 minutes, or until brown on the bottom. Flip and cook until the other side is also browned, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and briefly drain them of any excess grease. Continue cooking the rest of the latkes in batches, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

6. Stage

Serve: Serve immediately while hot, with sour cream or applesauce, or transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in 250°F oven until ready to serve.