Potato latkes (part 1 of 2)

10 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
10 Potatoes -- medium
Matzah meal
1 Onions -- medium
Salt and white pepper to
Eggs -- 2 lg or 3 med.
Taste
¼ cup Flour, unbleached -- all-
Vegetable oil
Purpose, breadcrumbs -- or

Directions

What exactly is the Hanukkah-latke connection? Latke is the Yiddish word for pancake. According to Webster's, it probably goes back to the Greek elaion (olive oil). "Kartoflani platske" is still the term used to describe a potato pancake eaten in the Ukraine. It is the same food that the Jews, living in the Pale of Settlement in the seventeenth century, probably adapted for Hanukkah. Because their daily diet consisted of potatoes and bread, they wanted to include a special dish cooked in oil to symbolize the main miracle of Hanukkah. This potato pancake, already used by Ukrainians with goose for Christmas, seemed a good and relatively inexpensive choice.

Because Hanukkah falls at the season when geese are plentiful, goose fat was an obvious and inexpensive substitute for the original olive oil. For American Jews intrigued with the gastronomic side of Judaism, Hanukkah appears to be the preferred Holiday. It is difficult to equal the taste of brown, crisp potato latkes Can gelilte fish, matzah balls, haroset, or even hamantashen compare with them? Certainly not. Moreover, every latke lover seems to know how to make these potato pancakes...admirers of, say, gefilte fish may be forced to an outside source... and has strong opinions about them. One will swear by a medium grater, another by the larger variety, and modernist by the grater on the food processor. Some prefer peppers; others, salt. Some add apples; other, grated zucchini(YUM), carrots, or parsley. Some insist on grated and others on sauteed onions. And then, of course, there are the purists who contend that only old potatoes and bruised knuckles will do. Latkes have become a versitile delicacy. They can be made from buckwheat(YUM) potatoes with a touch of flour. They can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or as cocktail-party fare.

They can be eaten plain or fancy, with sugar, applesauce, sour cream, or even with chicken soup. Whew!

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