These latke recipes offer a twist on the traditional Hanukkah treat

When I was in school, I always hated the weird lull between returning from Thanksgiving break and Christmas break; we still had to pay attention for a few more weeks, but all I could think about was sleeping in and watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” 

It wasn’t until I started going to middle school that I truly enjoyed the final three weeks of school. I went to school with a diverse group of people, families from all over the world with different cultural backgrounds. The two weeks before Christmas break was a revolving door of cultural snacks and treats. Melomakarona; a Grecian Christmas cookie; stuffed grape leaves; and my all-time favorite, latkes. 

By the time the Christmas break rolled around, I had eaten seven different types of latkes, all with their own unique story. Latkes are traditional Jewish potato pancakes, normally made around Hanukkah in remembrance of the miracle of oil.

While you can’t go wrong with fried potatoes, latkes are made with a little more love and care. To create the ultimate latke, you grate the onions, squeeze excess liquid out of the mixture and shallow fry (or double fry). Traditionally latkes are made with russet potatoes; however, over the years, I have experimented with other potatoes and found sweet potato latkes offer a unique flavor.

Once you’ve fried the perfect latke, you have a canvas to create anything your heart desires. In the recipe below, I provide two of my favorite latkes and toppings: herb crème fraîche with salmon, and hummus with pomegranates. The sky’s the limit, so don’t be afraid to get creative! You can go traditional with applesauce or add a little Southern flair with barbecue sauce, thinly sliced radish and avocado. 

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Latkes

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes 

Servings: 8-10 latkes each

INGREDIENTS

Traditional latke 

• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and grated
• 1 large onion, grated 
• 2 large eggs 
• ½ cup of flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons onion powder (optional)
• Chicken schmaltz or neutral oil, for frying

Sweet potato latke 

• 2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
• 1 large onion, grated 
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon paprika 
• Chicken schmaltz or neutral oil, for frying

Topping: applesauce

• ⅓ cup of favorite applesauce

Topping: herb crème fraîche and salmon

• ⅔ cup crème fraîche
• 2 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
• 1 sprig fresh tarragon, chopped 
• Juice from half a lemon 
• 10 ounces of smoked salmon (for topping)

Topping: hummus and pomegranates 

• Favorite hummus 
• Pomegranate seeds
• Fresh olive oil 

STEPS (for both latkes)

1. Grate the potatoes (or place in food processor on coarse/hash brown setting) and let soak in a bowl of cold water. Grate onions. Transfer potatoes and onions to a clean dish towel (or cheese cloth) and squeeze and wring out as much of the liquid as possible. Drain water; if you can, reserve the white starch that settles to the bottom of the bowl, at least 2-4 teaspoons.
2. Transfer potatoes and onions to same bowl that has the potato starch. Add eggs, flour, baking powder and spices (depending on which recipe you’re using) and mix until flour is combined.
3. Preheat oven to 250 degrees (to keep latkes warm while working in batches). In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat, put in enough chicken schmaltz (or neutral oil) for ¼-inch coverage. Once the oil is shiny and hot, drop ¼ cup of batter into pan and flatten slightly with spatula. Cooking in batches, when edges are brown and crispy, about 5 minutes, flip. Cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer the latkes to a baking rack over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt while still warm. Repeat with the remaining batter. You can keep the baking sheet in the heated oven to stay warm.
4. For the crème fraîche (if using): Combine crème fraîche, dill, tarragon and lemon juice in a small bowl.
5. Top latkes with applesauce; herb crème fraîche and smoked salmon; hummus, pomegranate, and fresh olive oil; or your favorite toppings!