By: Michael Sarko | December 01 2010
Posted in Recipes - Seattle Recipes

Latkes with Sour Cream. Photo by U. Kagor.

Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of light, is a time of song, celebration and, of course, comforting cuisine. The king of the Hanukkah dinner table is undoubtedly the Potato Latke. This delicious, ancient recipe began as the Mediterranean delicacy known as L'Vivah, a term that evokes the Hebrew word for “heart”. The modern latke owes a lot to Eastern European culinary traditions, combining hearty foods of the earth to make a tasty, filling dish for those cold winter nights.

 

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes, peeled and grated

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons matzo meal

1 small onion, finely diced

Vegetable Oil for frying

Directions:

Peel and finely grate the potatoes (Russet are best), then give them a thorough rinse in cool water, making sure to drain most of the liquid afterward. Beat the eggs thoroughly in a mixing bowl and then add the potatoes, onion, matzo meal and seasoning. You'll want to use matzo meal because it won't add as much flavor or texture as traditional breadcrumbs.

Using a large spoon (a soup spoon should do the job), drop spoonfuls of the mixture into a sturdy pan with 1/2 inch oil on medium high heat. It should only take between 30 seconds and 1 minute for each side of the latke to turn golden brown, so keep an eye on your pan. Make sure to flatten each latke with a spatula after the first turn. Your pancakes should come out with a nice, flat top that can easily hold a topping.

Let your latkes cool slightly on a rack and then serve warm. They should have a lightly crispy edge and a soft, creamy middle.

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