The "Exact" Potato Latke Recipe
   by Amy Rabb-Liu

Use about 2/3 or 3/4 of a big (5lb) bag of russet
potatoes.

As you peel each potato, drop it in a big bowl of cool
water.  Cut each potato (if necessary) to fit the tube
of your food processor, and immeditately drop back
into the water.  Keeping peeled/cut potatoes in water
prevents them from turning brown.

Peel and quarter 3-4 medium onions.

Set your food processor up to shred.  If you have a
choice, use the smaller shredding holes.  Alternate a
few pieces of potato with a quarter of onion, and
shred all your potatoes and onions.  As necessary,
empty the contents of the food processor into a large
bowl.

Fill a very wide skillet about 1cm deep with vegetable
oil.  Heat it over medium/medium-high heat while you
do the next step.

After all is shredded, squeeze as much liquid from the
potato-onion mixture as you can (discard the liquid). 
Top the squeezed mixture with a small handful of salt,
a couple of big pinches of baking powder, about 3 or 4
handfuls of matzoh meal, and a couple of eggs.  Use
your hands and really mix everything together.  At
this point, you should have a moist but not at all
liquid mixture which will hold its shape (not fall
apart, and not resist being shaped).  Add more matzoh
meal or another egg if you need to adjust.

Test the oil by dropping in a shred of potato mixture.
If the oil does not bubble, it is not hot enough.  If
the oil instantly bubbles around the mixture, your oil
is ready.  If the mixture turns brown quickly, your
oil is too hot -- take it off the heat for a minute,
turn the flame down and try again.

Form each latkes by making a walnut sized ball of
mixture, then flattening to a disk about 1cm thick,
tucking in any shreds that stick out along the edges. 
You can make larger latkes, but keep them about 1cm
thick (as thick as the oil is deep).  

When the oil is ready, slip each latke into the oil
one at a time.  Wait several seconds between putting
each latke into the oil so that the temperature of the
oil is not lowered.  In about 1.5-2 minutes you will
notice the edges of the latke have turned golden. 
Check that the underside of the latke is nicely
golden.  When you have a completely golden underside,
flip the latke and fry until the other side is also
completely golden.  Remove from pan and drain on a
paper towel.

Makes enough for the family plus a few more latke
eaters.

Tips:  

If you have the frying temperature just right, you
will probably not need to add oil, but if you notice
the oil level in the pan dropping, you can add a bit
of oil from time to time as you fry.

Use two skillets to fry twice as fast.

After blotting latkes on the towel, put on an oven
safe dish and keep in a 200 oven while you fry the
rest.

Eat as soon as you can, to enjoy the warm crispiness.

You can use less onion and add black pepper if you
like.