Photo credit: Erincooks.comMy family celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas, and with today being the first day of Hanukkah, I can practically fry a potato - or a sweet potato - in my mind. I've often wondered how the ancient Jews in Israel knew that I'd be wanting to serve up seasonal food in Minnesota this time of year. Proof that God exists? You tell me.
While you ponder that BIG QUESTION, I'm just grateful to have a new source for Hanukkah recipes this year. The site TC Jewfolk, described by editor-in-chief Leora Maccabee as "the Twin Cities blog for Jewish news, culture, food, and politics," has published a couple of great-looking Hanukkah recipes in its "Noshin'" section. I'm partial to potato latkes, and Sara Rice's recipe for the sweet potato kind looks terrific. I've republished the entire recipe here, but I'd really recommend heading on back to TC Jewfolk for some background on these fried treats, serving suggestions, and other good stuff. Here's the recipe:
For multiplying the recipe, a ratio of 3:2:1 of eggs : sweet potatoes : small onion seemed to do the trick.
Sweet Potato Latkes
Ingredients:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 small onion
- 1/2 C flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground clove
Directions:
- Grate sweet potatoes and onion.* A food processor would work for the potatoes, but I’ve never had success using it to grate onions, so get yourself a box grater or mandoline for this part (or just chop them finely if you’re so inclined). Put in a large bowl.
- Use your hands to mix in 1/2 C flour (it’ll help bind everything when you add the egg mixture)
- In a second smaller bowl, beat eggs with the salt, pepper, and ground clove.
- Pour egg mixture over the potato mixture and mix until evenly incorporated.
- Heat about half an inch of oil in a heavy skillet. Drop a single thread of potato in; if it sizzles, it’s ready (if not, wait a little longer!).
- This part is easier to do with your hands. Form golf ball-size balls of potato mixture in your hands, and flatten slightly. Gently drop them into the oil.
- Don’t forget to flip! Depending on how hot your oil is (and how well you can moderate the temperature), they might be ready to go by the time you drop a fourth into the pan. Just don’t let them get too dark!
- Use a spatula to lift the cooked latkes out of the pan onto a plate lined with paper towels. Work in small batches until the batter is exhausted.
- Consume joyfully!
*You may need to drain the grated potatoes and onions; to do so, place them in a mesh strainer over a bowl and press down evenly to remove excess moisture.
With a big bunch of new sweet potatoes from my Harmony Valley farmshare staring me in the nose, there's about a 99% chance I'll be trying this recipe out soon. Happy Hanukkah!
