Thursday, December 22, 2011

Latkes

Miscellaneous was the first grown-up word I learned when I changed schools at 11. And I learned how to spell it aswell as its meaning. I'd never heard of it before then and now, 38 years later, it's cropped up as the theme for this week's Recipe Shed from Reluctant Housedad. So, as I'm not doing Christmas Dinner this year (it's the Cinderella thing), I thought I'd give you a recipe for latkes and tell you a bit about them.

Basically they are potato pancakes and, along with sufganiyot (doughnuts), are the traditional food for Hanukkah. The theme is food cooked in oil to remember the miracle of the eternal light in the reclaimed Temple lasting a full eight days instead of only one. The story is that they found only a small amount of oil and it took eight days to get a fresh supply.

Latkes is the Yiddish name, in Hebrew they are called levivot, they are also, as I said, potato pancakes. But whatever language you use, they are delicious, full of calories, and very easy to make.

Latkes

potatoes
onions
eggs
flour
salt and pepper
cooking oil

Grate the potato and onion into a bowl. Mix in some eggs and flour. Season with the salt and pepper.
Put tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil and fry on both sides until golden brown.
Serve warm with... and here opinions differ.


Traditionally we ate them with meat (corned beef) and pickled cucumbers. Then people started getting trendy and serving latkes with apple sauce and sour cream. There are no rules except to enjoy!


PS We ate ours before I had time to get the camera out so the illustrations are from Google images.

10 comments:

  1. I've always wondered what latkes are, ever since seeing them mentioned on a Seinfeld sketch. They sound brilliant - I'd have them for breakfast, and if it's allowed, would melt cheese on top of them

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  2. As I said, no rules. However, those who eat latkes may find melted cheese on top a tad strange. Breakfast is a great idea though. And lunch and dinner... :)

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  3. These look absolutely delicious! :) I'd eat them at any time of the day... LOL

    I left you a little something on my blog today!

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  4. Janece - I rushed over to look as I thought it might be the apple sauce but it was something equally as exciting - thank you :)

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  5. These look DELICIOUS!!! We call them Potato Fritters in New Zealand and I haven't made them in forever! They're now going to be (one of) my Christmas treats!!!! xx

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  6. we eat ours with ketchup...just like the Maccabees!

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  7. I have often wondered what they are, like potato rosti, but different!

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  8. Jax and Jen, fritters or rosti - a latke by any other name will smell as sweet. Jax I'm glad to have jogged your memory and that they will be on the menu again this Christmas. Thank you both for commenting.

    Healthfulmomma - I heard once that the Maccabees had theirs as a side to hotdogs and mustard. With coca cola of course because there was a Pepsi boycott in Israel.

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  9. They do sounds delicious - am just wondering how I could use them as part of a 'healthy' meal. None of my gang would eat pickled cucumbers, so I would need some other vegetable and then meat or fish... Any ideas?

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  10. Any meat and veg will do. Just substitute the latkes for the potatoes. Hope you enjoy them.

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