PRE 
SERVES 
Salt beef and latkes are a classic combination. Certainly not health food, but Chanukah does only come once a year. Ready-sliced salt beef works best as the pieces are thin, but I prefer the flavour and chunkiness of home-made salt beef in mine. You can either make the latkes large enough for a one-latke portion, or bite-sized. And guess what? No need to peel! It makes no difference at all - just wash the tatties before you grate.
- Using a food processor with a grating insert or a box grater, grate the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl of very cold water. Then grate the onions.
- Scoop the potatoes out of the water and place them, with the onions on a clean tea towel or muslin cloth, and thoroughly wring out the excess liquid over the bowl. You want the mixture to be as dry as possible as that will ensure crisp latkes.
- Transfer the potato-onion mixture to a large, dry bowl.
- Add the eggs, matzo meal, salt, and pepper. Carefully pour off the potato water, keeping the white potato starch that will have sunk to the bottom. Scoop that starch into the potato mixture and stir to combine all the ingredients thoroughly.
- Pour about 1 cm depth of oil into a large frying and set it over medium heat. Allow it to get hot — a cube of bread should turn golden in a minute.
- Scoop a generous heaped tablespoon of potato and press to release any more water. Place in the hot fat and flatten slightly. Once the underneath has turned golden, top with a layer of salt beef (10g should do it) and another heaped spoonful of latke mix, making sure you cover the filling. Add a bit more if necessary. Press down lightly and flip it over so the other side can cook. Once that is crisp, golden brown remove from the pan to a sheet of kitchen towel. You can fry a few at a time, but do not overcrowd the pan.
- Keep the cooked latkes warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining mixture. Repeat until the mixture is all used up. You may need to top the oil up during the cooking process. Serve hot with any leftover salt beef, mustard and pickles.
