Hanukkah begins at sundown on Dec. 21 this year: Let the eating of latkes begin!
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Of course, not everyone uses potatoes to make their latkes. A short stop at www.jewishfoods.org reveals latkes made of apples, beets, asparagus and chicken. (Personal fave: “Famous Funky Electric Latkes,” made of sweet potato, regular potato, apple, egg, scallions and “whatever else looks good on the spice rack.”) Jayne Cohen, author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking,” (Wiley, 2008), offers recipes for latkes made with chickpeas, scallions, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, celery root and other ingredients. More important, she offers great tips for making crisp, unsoggy, ungreasy latkes.
— Latke batter should be room temperature; cold batter will lower the oil temperature, causing the latkes to absorb too much oil.
— A very wet batter will produce steam, which results in soggy, greasy latkes. If the batter has thrown off a lot of liquid, gently squeeze a handful, letting excess moisture escape, before slipping it into the hot oil.
— Use oil, like canola or peanut oil, that does not smoke and burn easily.
— Make sure that the oil is hot enough. To test the oil temperature, flick a pinch of flour into the oil; if it sizzles, start frying.
— Don’t crowd the pan. You need enough room to flip the latkes, and also, putting too many in the pan reduces the oil temperature, leading to soggy latkes.
— Between batches, scoop out any burned fragments from the pan. Every two batches or so, it may be necessary to wipe out the pan to remove burnt bits and add fresh oil.
— Two-thirds of the potatoes should be coarsely shredded, to make a crispy crust, and the rest finely grated , to ensure a creamy layer within. If you grate all the potatoes coarsely, you would have a latke with a lot of crunch but lacking in potato flavor. If you grate them all finely, they will be mushy and absorb huge amounts of oil.
— To prevent oil from splattering, use two spatulas (or a spatula and a large spoon) to turn the latkes carefully.
— Flip latkes only once, so that they don’t absorb too much oil. So, before turning, lift the latkes slightly to make sure that the underside is crisp and brown.
CLASSIC POTATO LATKES
1-1/2 pounds russet (baking) or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
1/2 pound onions, peeled
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon matzoh meal or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
canola oil, for frying
Line a platter with paper towels.
Coarsely shred the potatoes and the onions, using the shredding disk in a food processor. Transfer the mixture to a colander or strainer, and use your hands or a wooden spoon to press out as much moisture as possible.
Remove the shredding disk from the processor, and replace with the steel chopping blade. Return about one-third of the shredded potatoes and onions to the work bowl, and pulse until roughly pureed. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the remaining potatoes and onions from the colander, and the egg, matzoh meal, salt, pepper and baking powder. Mix until combined thoroughly.
In a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet, heat about 1/4 inch of oil over high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Drop 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan, and flatten with a spatula. Repeat with more batter, cooking no more than four or five latkes at a time.
Regulate the heat carefully, reducing it to medium as the latkes fry until golden and crisp on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn carefully and fry until crisp and golden on the other side.
As the latkes are done, transfer them to the prepared platter.
Continue making latkes in the same manner until all the batter is used. If necessary, add more oil to the pan, but always allow the oil to get hot before frying a new batch.
Serve with applesauce, sour cream or both.
Yield: 16 latkes
Recipe from “Jewish Holiday Cooking” by Jayne Cohen (Wiley, 2008)
MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA LATKES
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons coarsely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons water
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, preferably toasted and ground from seeds (see Cook’s note)
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
canola oil, for frying
Cook’s note: Toasting whole spices releases essential oils and adds more fragrance and flavor to food. Place a skillet (cast iron or nonstick) over medium-high heat. When hot, add the spices, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and toasty-smelling (and beginning to pop), 3 to 5 minutes. To grind in a spice grinder, make a larger batch and save the unused portion in an airtight container. For small amounts, grind with a mortar and pestle.
For garnish:
sprinkling of fresh pomegranate seeds
drizzle of pomegranate molasses (sold in many supermarkets)
For serving:
labneh (homemade yogurt cheese), sour cream or creme fraiche mixed with crushed mint
applesauce mixed with a few tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Puree the chickpeas, garlic and rosemary in a food processor to a coarse paste. Add the olive oil, eggs and water, and blend until smooth. Add the cumin, salt to taste, pepper, flour and baking powder, and pulse to blend well. Transfer the batter to a large bowl.
Heat 6 tablespoons oil in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into the hot oil. Regulate the heat carefully as the latkes fry until golden. Turn once, carefully. When golden on the other side, transfer carefully to the prepared platter.
Continue making latkes in the same manner until all the batter is used. If necessary, add more oil to the pan, but always allow the oil to get hot before frying a new batch.
Yield: 16 latkes
Marialisa Calta is the author of “Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family” (Perigee, 2005). For more information, go to www.marialisacalta.com.
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