Big Potato Latkes, Topped with a Fried Egg

Good morning from a very sunny Sydney. The hubs is still sleeping, and I'm deciding what to cook up for breakfast. It's always a variation on a theme of eggs with a side of fruit. But we like to get creative: toast topped with mashed avocado, poached eggs, and smoked salmon is a typical version; mini breakfast casseroles if we happen to have preservative-free sausage; the hubs's killer omelets with a big fruit smoothie; banana oatmeal pancakes (need to post those soon) with a side of fried egg; etc.

 bright sunflowers from the hubs, soaking up the morning light

Ever since I received the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook from my awesome sister-in-law for Christmas we've fallen in love with potato latkes as a base for eggs. I'd had latkes before, but never with a perfect fried egg on top-- this is the way to eat them, people. Eggs with a side of hashbrowns is already a great combo, and this just melds them all together.

big, tasty potato latkes with a fried egg, topped with Cholula... 
fresh fruit and strong coffee round out the meal

So below I give you our take on the Smitten Kitchen's breakfast latkes. We usually just make two gigantic ones, but the batter could easily make four latkes of a decent size (more if you use a large potato, though make sure you up the onion ratio if your potato is big). Serve with Cholula hot sauce, a side of chopped fresh fruit, hot coffee, and you're good to go for a satisfying start to the weekend.

latkes and fried eggs for an awesome weekend breakfast

Latke-maker's tip: after having used a tea towel for soaking up excess moisture from the grated potato/onion, do not throw said tea towel into the washing machine with a load of other clothing. Everything will smell like onions. Even after the second wash. Handwash that sucker first, then rewash in the machine.

Big Potato Latkes, Topped with a Fried Egg
Slightly adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
serves 2-4 (depending on how big you make your latkes!)

1 medium potato, peeled (we use a waxy potato, about the size of two stacked decks of cards)
1 medium onion, peeled
2 tablespoons flour (I use whole wheat flour, all purpose or gluten-free flour would also work)
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of freshly ground sea salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
1 egg for the latke batter (sometimes I just use the egg white, this works fine)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2-4 eggs for frying (an egg to top each latke)

Place a baking tray in the oven and pre-heat the oven to 100C / 215F.

Using the big wholes of a grater, grate the potato and the onion. Place the grated potato and onion on a few layers of heavy-duty paper towels or a tea towel, fold over and pat firmly. Leave to sit for a few minutes while you mix together the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Add the potato and onion mixture (which is now a little drier after the paper towels/ tea towel have soaked up some of the excess moisture). Toss the grated potato and onion so that they are evenly coated by the flour mixture. Add the egg and stir well to combine.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and spread one tablespoon olive oil evenly over the pan. When a few drops of water flicked onto the skillet dance across it, it's hot enough to cook the latkes. Scoop out a quarter to a half of the latke batter (depending on how many latkes you're making), and drop onto the hot skillet. Quickly flatten the batter with the back of a wooden spoon and spread it out into a thin circle (if making two big latkes, the circle is about 5-6 inches across). Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until dark brown (watch carefully so they don't burn).

Remove cooked latke and place on the baking tray in the oven to keep warm. Spread another tablespoon of oil around the hot skillet, and cook the second latke. When it's done, add it to the baking tray in the oven to keep warm.

Once you're finished cooking the latkes, turn the heat down to the lowest setting (you may need to add a little more oil to the pan), and carefully crack one egg for every latke onto the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the whites are mostly set, then gently flip each egg over. Immediately remove skillet from heat, place latkes on plates, and transfer one egg (flipping egg back to right side up) on top of each latke.

Serve immediately with Cholula or your favorite hot sauce.