Happy Hanukah everyone! I know, I know its almost over and I hope everyone is having as wonderful of a holiday as I am, although I have to admit not much can top my view right now!
Sorry if that made you a little jealous, you may even need something to pick you up right now, how about latkes?
For those who don’t know what latkes are the short explanation is that they are simply delicious. The long explanation is that they are a traditional food eaten during the holiday of Hanukah. It is traditional during Hanukah to eat foods that are cooked in oil, in order to commemorate the miracle oil that burned for eight days during the time of the Maccabees. Now that’s where latkes came from but you may still be asking what they are. Essentially they are like potato pancakes, grated potato fried shaped in little disks and fried in oil until they are nice and crispy. As if that doesn’t sound appealing enough most people also eat them with applesauce, which is delicious. A lot of people, my family included, eat them with sour cream as well, which just happens to be one of my favorite foods.
Although my family and I are currently on vacation we knew it wouldn’t really be Hanukah without latkes so we decided to make them right here in the Caribbean. It was by far the best meal we had this trip. Below I have posted the recipe for latkes but if you want them to be really killer I suggest you try my mothers roasted apple sauce recipe, which can be found here on her blog. (I know, we are a crazy food blogging family, you may recognize the pictures too, shh her camera is better than mine!) Even though Hanukah is almost over latkes are delicious and I would encourage making them any time, especially if you have never tried them!
Latkes Recipe
Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1 large egg
2 tablespoons matzo meal
1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
Corn or other vegetable oil for frying
Directions
Grate potatoes in the food processor, using the grating disc. Place half the potatoes in a colander, set over a medium bowl, and set aside. Replace grating disc with steel blade and add onion wedges to remaining grated potatoes in the food processor. Coarsely chop potatoes and onions until all pieces are about 1/8 inch in size. This should take about 6 one second pulses. Add chopped potatoes and onions to the shredded potatoes in the colander. Press potato mixture against sides of the colander to drain as much liquid as possible into the bowl below the colander. Let the potato liquid stand for about 2 minutes until the potato starch settles at the bottom of the bowl. Pour off the liquid but keep the starch in the bowl. This starch will help hold the latkes together. Mix egg, matzo meal, potato mixture and salt into the starch in the bowl.
Set a 12-inch sauté pan over medium high heat, add 1/4-inch depth of oil and heat until oil is shimmering but not smoking. Greasy latkes result from frying in oil that is not hot enough. Measure out about 1/2 cup of potato mixture, squeeze out any excess liquid and place in hot oil, shaping into a 1/2-inch thick disc with a non-stick spatula. Repeat until about 4 latkes are in the pan. Fry until golden brown on the bottom and around the edges, about 3 minutes. Turn with spatula and fry the second side until brown, about 3 or 4 more minutes.
Drain on a brown paper bag set in a wire rack set over a cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining potato mixture, returning oil to correct temperature between each batch and replacing oil after every second batch. Serve warm with applesauce and sour cream. Enjoy!
