 Hanukkah Recipes
Potato Pancakes
- 1¼ pounds baking potatoes, peeled and shredded
- 2 egg whites
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 scallions, minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
Soak the potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and blot dry. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, egg whites, flour, scallions and salt. Form into 12 pancakes. Heat 1/3 of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the pancakes, 4 at a time, until just golden, about 2 minutes on each side and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining oil and pancakes. Bake until crisp and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Note: It's critical to use starchy baking potatoes like Idahoes, boiling potatoes burn too easily.
Curried Sweet Potato Latkes
From "Jewish Cooking in America"
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup milk
- Peanut oil for frying
Grate the sweet potatoes coarsely. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cayenne pepper, curry powder, cumin and salt and pepper. Add the eggs and just enough milk to the dry ingredients to make a stiff batter. Add the potatoes and mix. The batter should be moist but not runny. Add more milk if too stiff.
Heat ¼ inch of peanut oil in a frying pan until it is barely smoking. Drop in the batter by tablespoons and flatten. Fry over medium-high heat several minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve. Makes 16 3-inch pancakes. Another popular Hanukkah food is doughnuts, called soofganiot. The following recipe is from Wilton Industries and can be made with a six-point star cutter.
Hanukkah Doughnuts
- (1) 16.3-ounce can large refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup, approximately, strawberry or raspberry pastry filling or jam
- Vegetable oil for frying
Heat about 3 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 360 and 370 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Separate biscuits and roll each approximately 1/8 inch thick. Cut dough with a 6-point star cutter, if desired.
Fry 2 to 3 doughnuts at a time until the undersides are golden brown. Gently turn over once and finish frying the other side. Lift doughnuts out of the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining dough. If desired, fill with jam by using a disposable decorating bag and tip No. 230.
Weight Watchers has an alternative to the fried doughnuts and suggests a reduced calorie lemon tart.
Lemon Tart Crust
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- Lemon Curd
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon unflavored kosher gelatin
- 4 eggs
- 1½ cups fresh lemon juice
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1½ tablespoons grated lemonzest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
To prepare the crust, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Then whisk together the sugar, egg, lemon zest and vanilla in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the oil. Sprinkle in the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick spray. Press the batter into the pan and up the side. Prick the bottom with a fork. Spray a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and line with the foil, sprayed side down. Top with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 8 minutes and remove foil and weights. Continue baking until golden brown, about 4 minutes more. Remove and cool.
To prepare curd, measure water into a small microwaveable bowl. Sprinkle in the gelatin and let stand until softened, at least 5 minutes. Beat the eggs until well combined. Combine the lemon juice, sugar and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Whisk about ½ cup of the hot lemon mixture into the eggs to warm them, then pour the eggs into the remaining lemon mixture. Return the pan to the heat and cook, whisking constantly until the lemon curd starts to gently simmer and thicken. Remove from heat.
To assemble the tart, microwave the gelatin on medium for 10 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted. Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve, then stir in the gelatin and vanilla. Let cool to room temperature and pour the curd into the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serves 6.
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