Latkes for Hanukkah. Photo from http://www.heartburn.com
Potato latkes (pancakes) are a traditional treat for Hanukkah. The custom goes back several centuries to eastern Europe. The oil is a symbol of the miracle of the lights. In our family, our oldest son Stephen grinds the potatoes and onions. His work is considered a success if his knuckles don’t bleed into the mixture.
By Eileen Goldfinger, Food Editor @Blogfinger
6 medium peeled Idaho potatoes
2 medium cooking onions
2 large eggs
vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper
2-3 tbsp. flour (to hold the latkes together)
Line a large bowl with cheese cloth. Using a hand grater, alternate grating potatoes and onions into the lined bowl. The onions keep the potatoes from darkening. Grate the potatoes on small holes; grate the onions on large holes.
Gather the mixture in the cheese cloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible into the bowl. Set the mixture in the cheese cloth aside. Allow the liquid to stand for 15 minutes. A starchy sediment will settle to the bottom of the bowl. Discard the liquid, leaving the sediment .
Now place the potato/onion mixture into the bowl and discard the cheese cloth. Stir the mixture and the starchy sediment together. Blend into the mixture two lightly beaten eggs, pepper, salt and flour.
Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large non-stick fry pan until oil sizzles. Form latkes and flatten with hands. Brown on both sides until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Serve with apple sauce.
Serves 4 people. And you can eat latkes in any season.
I’d buy tickets to that.
I think Eileen and Ronni should have a Latke-off.
Latkes are my favorite, and my guy Fat Al makes the best ones. He has discovered that the task is much much easier if you use a food processor fitted with a shredding blade (which functions like a box grater) to shred the potatoes and the onions. What used to take an hour (and sometimes part of a knuckle) now takes literally five minutes. Happy Chanukah!
Once upon a time…….. we flew to California, visited Disneyland & Hearst Castle, but the best part of the visit was staying with Barry’s Aunt Edie & Aunt Lee, his mom’s sisters. They cooked 5 pounds of potatoes into pancakes for us: 2 couples & 6 month old Adam, with whom we obviously didn’t share! The aunts never stopped marveling over the fact that we ate so many potato pancakes so fast, & loved each & every bite! It’s a very good memory. Thanks for bringing it back.
Almost the same as my recipe, except I throw matzo into the food processor and use that instead of flour. Don’t know why … just what my mother used, but she crushed hers with a rolling pin. And we serve them with applesauce and sour cream. Not part of a Kosher meal.
And last night I quadrupled the recipe. There were six of us, but four were 18 to 20 year old guys. Nary a crumb left.
So good. But so dang labor intensive to make and clean up. A once a year treat!