Latkes with Roasted Beets and Sour Cream

Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C).

To make the topping, place each beet on a separate sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the beets and place on a baking sheet. Roast until the beets are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature.

Peel the beets and cut each into 8 wedges. Cut each wedge into slices about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil, the lemon juice and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F (120°C). Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

To make the latkes, using the fine grating attachment of a food processor, grate the potatoes and the onion into a bowl. Transfer the mixture to a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove the excess liquid.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the salt and pepper. Add the grated potatoes and onion and the flour and toss to thoroughly combine.

In a large fry pan over medium heat, pour olive oil to a depth of 1/2 inch (12 mm). Heat the oil until almost smoking. Working in batches, drop the batter into the oil, using 1 heaping Tbs. per latke. Press down on the latkes with the back of a spatula and cook until crisp and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the latkes to the prepared baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while cooking the remaining latkes.

To serve, top each latke with a dollop of sour cream and divide the beet slices equally among the latkes. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt and serve immediately. Makes about 3 dozen latkes; serves 12.

Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen