A few months ago, I had brunch on the lawn at the Outermost Inn on Martha’s Vineyard, in Massachusetts. So happy to be at a restaurant after months of quarantine, I ordered the potato rosti, which arrived thick and square, topped with smoked salmon and creme fraiche. When I dipped my fork into the potato, I found that it was crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. And when I put a morsel in my mouth, I realized that this was the flavorful latke of my dreams.

I talked with chef Nathaniel Wade, who explained the technique he’d used for the Swiss rosti. He had learned it at Misery Loves Co., a restaurant in Winooski, Vt., that he ran with his sister and brother-in-law before he left for Martha’s Vineyard.

“You want to dry the potato, but you don’t want to cook it through,” he said. “So you have starch, but not too much.”

I did what he suggested, baking the potatoes until some of the moisture had cooked out, but they remained raw in the middle. The technique worked perfectly.

I also followed his suggestion of grating the baked and cooled potatoes by hand. For four potatoes, I thought, why bother taking out the food processor? Using a box grater carried me back to memories of my mother and my grandmother, who made potato pancakes in a world before the food processor. And holding the baked potato skins protected my fingers against cuts from the grater.

But I made some changes. Instead of pressing the grated potatoes on a sheet pan into a large rectangle, thicker than hash browns, I formed them into individual round patties like proper latkes, left them on a plate, and refrigerated them for a few hours. Because the potatoes were almost cooked through, I did not have to worry about oxidation: The latkes remained perfectly white. And because they went straight from the fridge to the frying pan, they crisped easily without deep-frying.

I might even dare say they are the best version of latkes, though purists might fret that there is no binder like matzo meal, onion or egg in them. (If you are vegan or gluten-free, this is the latke for you.)

The result is just pure potato with a little salt and pepper and, if you want, saffron or rosemary. Serve it on the last few days of Hanukkah with brisket, or top it with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and chives, or treat it as a blank slate and let your imagination take you where it will.

“The cool thing about it is you can put anything on it,” Wade said. “You can put peanut butter or chocolate on it, and it will still taste good.”

PURE POTATO LATKES

Adapted from Nathaniel Wade

• 4 large Idaho or russet potatoes, washed and dried, unpeeled
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Canola oil, for frying
• 8 ounces sliced smoked salmon, for serving (optional)
• Creme fraiche or sour cream, for serving (optional)
• Chopped fresh chives, for serving (optional)

Adjust rack to the middle of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Bake potatoes directly on rack for 30 minutes, then flip and bake another 15 minutes until hot throughout but still raw in the middle. Remove; let cool about 30 minutes.

Slice potatoes in half widthwise. Holding the skin side with one hand, grate the flat, flesh side of each piece using the large holes of a box grater. The grating process should open them up like a jacket, leaving you with potato skins perfect for frying later, if you’d like. (You could also use a food processor with a grating blade instead; just peel potatoes beforehand.) Sprinkle grated potatoes with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Gently squeeze about 1/2 cup grated potato between palms to form a patty. Press patty until about 1/2-inch thick and carefully set on a plate. Repeat with remaining grated potatoes to make about 8 latkes. Cover and refrigerate a few hours or overnight.

Just before serving, heat a large, heavy skillet with about 1/4 inch of canola oil over medium-high. When ready, a shred of potato dropped into the oil should sizzle. Working in 2 batches, gently fry 4 latkes until crisp and golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels or a paper bag to drain; repeat with remaining latkes.

Serve hot, topped with smoked salmon, creme fraiche or sour cream and chives, if you like. Makes 8 latkes.

Nutritional information unavailable.

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