This Friday at
Sunset, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah begins. Also known as the
Festival of Lights, Hanukkah honors an historical event, the struggle
for religious freedom against the Greeks in the second century.
A small band of Jews risked their lives in order to preserve their
heritage, and today Hanukkah, which means rededication, is celebrated by
lighting the Hanukkah candles or oil lamps.
This group, the Maccabees, reclaimed a temple that had been overtaken
by the Greeks. When they went to rekindle the eternal light, they could
only find enough oil to burn for one day. Miraculously, however, the
oil ended up lasting eight days (that is why Hanukkah is celebrated for
eight days).
Besides the lighting of the menorah, Hanukkah is filled with songs,
stories, games and food. Hanukkah dishes typically center around the
theme of oil, due to the miracle of the menorah’s oil.
A favorite Hanukkah food is latkes, or potato pancakes. Latkes are
made from grated potatoes mixed with eggs, onions, and flour, fried in
vegetable oil. With a crispy outside and a tender inside, latkes are
served hot, and are often dipped in applesauce or sour cream. Since
potatoes weren’t available until the sixteenth century, traditionally,
the pancakes were made of cheese, and later from vegetables or fruits.
Latkes/Potato Pancakes
12 large potatoes, grated
3 medium onions, grated
4 eggs, beaten lightly
5 tbs. flour
3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Oil for deep frying
If you want great latkes, make sure you remove as much liquid from
the potatoes and onions as possible. Put the grated potatoes in a clean
tea towel and squeeze the liquid out of the mixture. Do the same for the
grated onions. Combine all of the ingredients and mix together well by
hand.
In a heavy skillet, put a 3/4″ deep layer of oil. Heat until
sizzling. Form individual pancakes by hand and carefully slide into the
pan using a slotted spatula. Fill the pan, but leave room between the
pancakes. When nicely brown on one side, turn them carefully until
browned on the other side and crisp on the edges. Remove with a spatula
and place on paper towels.
Let the excess grease drain onto the paper towel. For the best taste,
serve immediately. You can keep latkes hot in a warm oven. Serve with
applesauce or sour cream, or sprinkle with granulated sugar.
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