Holiday Recipe: My Bubbie's Latkes

Latkes are savoury and delicious potato pancakes that symbolize the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. When the Maccabees recaptured the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the scant amount of sacred oil required to light the Temple’s menorah (candelabra) miraculously lasted for eight days, enough time to press new oil for a rededication. That’s why oil is used in so many Hanukkah foods.

My great grandmother, Bubbie Dina, was a modern miracle. She escaped the pogroms of Russia to arrive in Canada without knowing a word of English in 1929, one day before the stock market crash. Soon after, she became the first woman to run a Canada Post office. She lived until she was nearly 105 and was an outstanding cook. So good, that at 101, I submitted her latke recipe to the Food Network, and she was featured on a holiday episode. Her latkes were so delicious they kept disappearing from the shot because she had to feed the entire crew! You can find the link to the special here.

My version of the recipe makes use of kitchen time savers like a food processor, but Bubbie hand-grated the onion and potatoes on the fine side of a box grater.

Ingredients

• 6-8 potatoes finely grated
• 1 onion, finely grated
• 2-3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil (a lot), for frying

Directions

1. Peel potatoes and chop finely with the onion in a food processor (or use the fine side of a box grater), transfer to a large working bowl.
2. Add the eggs and baking powder. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add just enough flour, a bit at a time, to bind the ingredients together.
3. Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a medium skillet. Working in batches, drop large spoonfuls of the potato mixture in the pan and fry on medium-high, turning once, until golden brown.
4. Enjoy with sour cream and applesauce. Or use as a base for your own creation.