Whitney Ullman, founder of @GoToWhitney, is our guest contributor this week. If you would like to be a guest contributor and write a post for our website, send an e-mail to kristen.accardi@townsquaremedia.com

By: Whitney Ullman

Hey NJ 101.5 listeners, aren't potato latkes delish!?! I think so, and that's why over the years I've perfected the most amazing recipe that has friends and family coming back for more - at every party!

To begin, grab some vegetable oil (some use canola oil) and fill your pan a quarter of the way. I have two 5qt jumbo cooker style pots that work great on both burners. You don't want to have too much oil, just enough to cover 3/4 of the raw potato mixture once placed in the pan. Turn the heat on high or medium high and let it get really hot before cooking. If you need to test how hot the oil is, you can flick a little drop of water from afar, and see if it sparks and bubbles. If so then you're ready to go.

Photo: Whitney Ullman
Photo: Whitney Ullman
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The #1 rule is use russet potatoes. They are bigger, meatier and are easier to grate. Rinse & peel the potatoes, and use a grater with larger holes for a thicker shred. It's important to note that once you grate the potato you have to make the mixture, and cook it right away in order to avoid oxidation. No one wants to bite into a purple potato!

Photo: Whitney Ullman
Photo: Whitney Ullman
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My rule of thumb is to add one egg for every three potatoes, but that can vary depending on size. I also add sea salt, a small amount fresh cracked pepper and some garlic powder for flavor.

Now for my secret ingredient. Ready for it? Most people add flour to bind everything together, but I add Matzo Meal!! Yup! Plain Matzo meal! For whatever reason, it just makes the pancakes the perfect balance of crunchy and soft.

Once mixed, one can't really get a sense of whether it's seasoned enough or not, so you have two options. You can take a small amount of mixture and put it in the pan, cook it and taste it. Or you can just go with your gut, cook the latkes and add a little Kosher Salt sprinkle afterwards to bring out more of the flavor.

They should be in the pan for a good minute or two until they are golden brown on each side.

Once you remove them from the oiled pan, place each latke on either a plate layered with paper towels or I personally use a baking sheet layered with paper towels to soak up some of the excess oil. Use your judgement. I prefer more of a crunchy taste so I don't typically layer on top of one another in order to avoid them getting soggy. So once some of the oil gets on the paper towel, then transfer them to a plate for eating. Trust me, everyone is happy!

Photo: Whitney Ullman
Photo: Whitney Ullman
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The most important part is the dip/topping! The traditional choices are sour cream and apple sauce, which we all love for different reasons. And this year, we stumbled up a new topping - we added mustard!!

I know right! Mustard?? A friend made us this beautiful mustard concoction that we happened to have in the fridge during our party, so we tried it out, and couldn't stop eating! We must've made latkes for the whole month, just because of the mustard - ha!

We typically use 1 tablespoon of each topping per one/two pancakes. There is no right or wrong, just enjoy!

Let me know how yours turns out. Post the pictures in the comments below, and feel free to contact me with any questions.

Happy Cooking,
XO Whitney
@gotowhitney

Whitney Ullman Headshot Beau Ridge
Whitney Ullman Headshot Beau Ridge
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ABOUT WHITNEY:
Whitney Ullman is the founder of @GoToWhitney and @TheCityPulse brands. Both focus on celebrity interviews, entertainment happenings, restaurant coverage and VIP events at the Jersey Shore. She is a freelance Entertainment Reporter with coverage featured on many outlets including: FOX29, E! News, TMZ Live, TMZ, Access Hollywood, Dr. Oz, Wendy Williams, NBC40, NJ.com, Explore-NJ, Explore-Philly, ACWeekly.com, AC Restaurant Week, Visit Atlantic City and More. Whitney hosts a radio segment called Whitney Wednesday on Sojo 104.9 and a re-occurring spot on NJ 101.5. Her personal @GoToWhitney YouTube channel has over 1.2 million views, and between all social media, she has over 20,000 followers. So remember before you go to Jersey, GoToWhitney!

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