File Under: Tonight I Earned My Jew Card

Every year at Hannukah my family picks a night to have a latke feast. It usually involves the traditional potato pancakes, zucchini and carrot fritters, homemade applesauce and sometimes a fish dish. I suppose if we weren't a mostly vegetarian household, there might be brisket involved some years. For many years now, I have been the chief laborer when it comes to the latkes - peeling the potatoes, shredding them, chopping the onion, squeezing out the liquid and frying them up - overseen by my dad. We use a recipe from a traditional, well-known, authoritative Jewish cookbook which name escapes me right now. They never turn out quite right though - my theory is that we make them a little too big and thick, so that the edges and outside are a little burnt and the insides are not quite done.

Well tonight I have solved the mystery. I have created the most perfect latkes I have ever had a hand in. They golden and crunchy on the outside, chewy but not underdone on the inside. I know, I know, Hannukah isn't for another two months but I had russet potatoes and scallions and a looming farm box delivery so I needed to clear out my fridge. I could make baked potatoes, but don't potato pancakes just sound better? Of course they do.

Potato Latkes*
3 large russet potatoes, peeled
1 large carrot
4 or 5 scallions
1 egg + 1 egg white
3 tablespoons flour or matzo meal
1/2 teaspoon each freshly ground black pepper and salt
Oil for frying
Applesauce and/or sour cream for serving

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees and line a large plate or baking sheet with paper towels. Using the shredding attachment on a food processor, or a box grater if you are old school, grate the potatoes and carrots, in a colander over the sink, squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands. Slice the scallions finely. Beat the egg and extra white in a large bowl with the salt and pepper. Add in the potato, carrot and scallion, sprinkling flour over as you combine. Get the oil going in a deep pan on the stove. NOTE: I can't imagine doing this on an electric range. If you do, pay really close attention to the oil temperature because you can't adjust the heat as quickly. Grab about two tablespoons of the potato mixture, squeeze the liquid out again and pat into a pancake shape fairly thin - mine were about the size of my palm and three fit in the pan without crowding. Place in the hot oil and fry away, a few minutes on each side so that the edges are brown but not burned and the middle is golden. When they're done, put them on the plate you lined with paper towels and put in the oven. Serve with applesauce and/or sour cream.

*Adapted from a Good Housekeeping recipe
I didn't have an onion, but I would have added about half of one if I had but the recipe still made about 14 latkes. I also discovered, as I splashed oil on my favorite sweatshirt, that I need to add "apron with witty and/or sassy expression" to my Hannukah wish list. Tragedy of all tragedies, I had no sour cream but I did make some quick and easy applesauce:

Applesauce
Three or four sweet apples (I used galas), peeled, cored and cut into bite size pieces
A glug or two (maybe 1/4 cup) dry marsala
Two tablespoons water
Two pinches/dashes cinnamon
A dash/pinch each of ground allspice, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg (ground cloves would probably be awesome, too)
A tablespoon of butter

Toss everything in a pot and set to medium heat. After the apples have softened up a bit, break them up with a potato masher and lower the heat to very low. Let cook for however long it takes you to finish the rest of the meal (add a little more water if it starts to dry out, but shouldn't be necessary if you keep it covered). NOTE: this only makes enough for one or two people, depending on how much they like applesauce.