Chanukkah recipes all involve frying something in oil. The reason for this is that a major theme for this holiday is the oil that miraculously lasted for 8 days when it should have only lasted for 1. (While this is purely myth, it still remains a large focus of the holiday.) The two most common foods for the holiday are latkes, which are usually made from potatoes, but can be made with other things as well, including onions, sweet potatoes and vegetables, and sufganyot, which are basically doughnuts. The tradition regarding doughnuts is to make them filled, usually with jelly, but sometimes with chocolate or creme filling.
The best part about these foods (besides actually eating them) is making them together as a family. Try one, or try them all! Then, as you figure out what you like and what you don’t, try your own twist on them! And don’t forget the most important part…sharing them with friends!
POTATO LATKES AND ONION
6 potatoes
1 onion
4 eggs
3 tbsps. matza meal
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Grate by hand potatoes and onion. Add eggs and then dry ingredients. Fry in hot oil. Replace 2 of the potatoes with zucchini for lighter pancakes.
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LATKES (POTATO PANCAKES) (from The Flavor of Jerusalem)
A favorite eaten at Chanukah. Each cook has her infallible recipe, but we liked this version, which we found to be especially light.
3 large potatoes
3 tbsps. milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking powder
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil
If the skins of the potatoes are thin and unblemished, do not peel the potatoes but scrub them well. Otherwise, peel them; then grate 1 potato on the large holes of a grater and the other two on the medium holes. Beat in the milk, egg and baking powder. Season with salt and pepper; blend well, If there is a large amount of liquid in the mixture, drain off some of it. Heat a scant ½ inch of oil in a large skillet until it is very hot but not smoking. Drop the batter by large spoonfuls, flatten then slightly. Turn them once. When they are golden brown on the bottom side, cook them several minutes longer and drain them on paper towels. (The latkes will have crisp edges.)
Serve hot with sour cream or applesauce.
Makes 3-4 servings.
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NANA’S LATKES (from the New York Times)
2 lbs. Idaho potatoes
2 lbs. Yukon potatoes
5 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
salt
vegetable oil for frying
sour cream
apple sauce
Peel potatoes, and keep in cold water until you are ready to grate them.
Grate the potatoes coarsely by hand (or with a Cuisinart using first the shredding blade then the blending blade). The mixture should be slighly lumpy and not too blended. Add the beaten eggs. Mix in up to 1 cup of flour. Add a little salt. The batter should be fairly liquid and not too thick.
Heat about a half-inch of vegetable oil in a frying pan. When the oil is very hot, use a soup spoon as a measure to put in small amounts of batter in the oil. Frying the pancakes on one side, then the other, until they have turned brown on both sides and are crispy around the edges.
Drain the pancakes on paper towels that have been placed on a platter atop a saucepan of simmering hot water or keep warm in the oven.
Makes about 80 3-inch latkes.
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(The following 3 recipes are taken from: The Settlement Cookbook)
SOUR CREAM POTATO PANCAKES
4 large potatoes or 2 cups raw, grated potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream or 1/2 cup hot milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, separated
Grate the potatoes, place in a colander, set over a bowl and drain. When the starch has settled in the bottom of the bowl, discard top liquid. Place drained potatoes in a mixing bowl, add starch, cream or hot milk, and salt. Beat yolks well; add to potato mixture; fold in the stiffly beaten whites. Drop by spoonfuls on a hot, well-greased skillet. Brown slowly on both sides. Serve with apple sauce.
Makes 4 servings.
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POTATO PANCAKES
4 large potatoes or 2 cups raw grated potatoes
2 eggs
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsps. salt
1 tbsp. flour, bread crumbs or matza meal
dash of pepper
Peel potatoes, grate, drain. Beat eggs well and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls on a hot, well-greased skillet. Brown on both sides. Serve with applesauce.
Makes 4 servings.
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BAKED POTATO PANCAKES
Mix as above. Heat a generous amount of fat in a skillet, add potato batter; bake in a hot oven, 400ºF, for 25 minutes.
Amazing Vegetable Latkes
In this recipe root vegetables add a new dimension to these delightful latkes. Be creative and add any of your favorite root vegetables for these crispy amazing latkes
1 large celery root (about ¾ pound 300 gr.)
1 green zucchini
1 yellow squash
2 medium potatoes (about 3/4 pound 300 gr.)
3 Tbs olive oil
2 beaten eggs
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs cooking oil
Sour cream or applesauce
Peel and finely shred celery root, potatoes green and yellow zucchini into a large mixing bowl. Stir in olive oil, eggs, garlic, and salt. Using 1/3 cup mixture for each latke, form into patties about the size of the palm of your hand. Squeeze out excess liquid.
In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Carefully slide patties into hot oil. Cook over medium-high heat about 2 minutes or until latkes are golden brown, turning once. Repeat with remaining batter. Add additional oil during cooking, as needed. If necessary, reduce heat to medium to prevent overbrowning. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Serve with sour cream or applesauce, if desired. Makes about 12 latkes.
Preparation time 30 minutes
Serves 6
Corn Latkes
1 12 oz can corn well drained
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup milk or milk substitute
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp melted butter or oil
In a bowl mix drained corn with slightly beaten eggs. Add milk, flour, and mix making sure that there are no lumps. Add salt, baking powder and butter or oil. Combine well. In a frying pan put enough oil to cover bottom of pan allow to hear through. Drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil and allow to cook until golden brown on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. These latkes are delicious hot or cold. Serve with plain yogurt and scallions.
Preparation 15 minutes
Serves 6
Savory Sweet Potato Latke
1 large sweet potato cooked
1 small butternut squash cooked
4 eggs
1 tsp honey
½ tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs flour
½ tsp nutmeg (optional)
Mash the sweet potato and the butternut squash, add other ingredients and mix well and form into patties. Grease cookie sheet with oil, spray and place patties on the sheet. Broil 10 minutes on each side.
Preparation 15 minutes
Serves 6
Scrumptious Cheese latkes
1 lb farmer cheese
4 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 cup flour
4 Tbs sour cream
Mix all ingredients well and form into balls and fry in hot oil
Preparation 15 minutes
Serves 6
Heavenly Donuts
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 ½ ounces yeast
1 Tbsp. flour (from the 4 cups above)
Mix the 4 above ingredients together and let stand until foamy
Add:
1 stick margarine
Pinch salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
1 package vanilla sugar
1 Tbsp. brandy or your favorite schnapps
1 cup water Mix all ingredients together. If dough is sticky, add 1/2 cup flour. Let rise one hour. Roll out dough. Cut circles with glass cup, place on floured board at least 3 finger spaces apart and let rise again for 1/2 hour.
Fill a large pot with oil and one peeled carrot (carrot ensures that oil doesn’t burn) drop donuts into hot oil, fry on both sides for about 5-7 minutes. Drain.
Chocolate filling for donuts:
This filling adds an extra dimension to each donut.
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/8 cup water
Bring these three ingredients to a boil until sugar dissolves completely. When mixture is s warm, add:
2 sticks margarine
1 vanilla packet
1 tsp rum extract
Mix well and allow to cool. When it is cool, add one egg yolk Mix well and fill donuts.
Chocolate glaze
This easy glaze gives a nice final touch to the donuts
3 cups confectionary sugar
6 Tbs oil
6 Tbs boiling water
3 Tbs cocoa
Mix all ingredients together and glaze the donuts. Decorate with colored sprinkles or your favorite topping.
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