By Ethel G. Hofman
The Jewish holiday of Chanukah means latkes and sufganiyot to celebrate the victory of Judah Maccabee and his four brothers over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 BCE.
Consider adding related treats to the table this season — cousins of a culinary sort in the form of beignets and funnel cake, also fried in oil.
For Eastern Europeans, potato latkes were a symbol of Chanukah; potatoes were cheap and often fried in fat leftover from the Passover duck. In modern-day Israel, sufganiyot are sold in nearly every food store and on every street corner.
But look back not too long ago to the American South in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; to assimilate, immigrant Jewish women combined regional flavors with Old World ingredients. Think salt herring, fried and served with grits. On a sweeter note, past and present recipes merged into dishes such as pecan pie and beignets — the latter being those scrumptious pastry squares fried in oil and dredged with sugar that have become a mainstay for tourists to places like New Orleans.
Oil is the essential frying ingredient. Good frying oil is known for three qualities: being flavorless, affordable and having a high “smoke point.” (A high smoke point is considered 375 degrees F and higher.) For the recipes here, avoid using olive oil with its overly robust flavor; better to save that more expensive variety for salad dressings and sautéing purposes.
Classic Potato Latkes | Pareve
Makes 18-20
Use a combination of white and red-skinned potatoes. There’s no need to peel red-skinned potatoes.
You may substitute matzah meal for flour.
Leftovers may be refrigerated. Reheat at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
- 2 eggs
- ¼ small onion, cut into 3 to 4 pieces
- 4 medium potatoes, about 1½ pounds peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
Break the eggs into a food processor. Add the onion and potatoes. Pulse 3 to 4 times, or until the potatoes are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the baking powder, flour, salt and pepper, mixing well.
Heat about a quarter-inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the potato mixture into the skillet, pressing lightly with the back of a wooden spoon to flatten slightly. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook on both sides until nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Continue frying, adding more oil as needed until the batter is used up.
Serve these hot with applesauce for a meat meal or sour cream for a dairy meal.
Alisa’s Leek-and-Parsley Fritters | Pareve
Makes 10-12
Pick up store-bought frozen cooked leeks. Thaw and use as needed. There’s no need to cook first.
To clean the leeks: Slice them an inch thick. Place them in a bowl and cover them with cold salted water (2 to 3 teaspoons to 1 quart water). Press the center of each slice to separate the rings. Rinse again in cold water to clean thoroughly.
Add another egg if the mixture is too stiff.
For deep frying, a thermometer should register 350 to 375 degrees F.
Sumac is a berry related to the cashew family and is ground into a rich, red-colored spice. It has a similar taste to lemon and brings out the natural flavors of foods it is cooked with.
- 2 to 3 medium leeks, white and 2 inches of green part
- boiling water to cover
- 1 cup parsley, cut coarsely, rinsed and packed
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1½ teaspoons sumac
- 1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground pepper or to taste
- ¾ to 1 cup matzah meal
- vegetable oil for frying
Place the cleaned leeks in a large pot. Cover them with boiling water. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until just beginning to soften. Drain well.
Place them in a food processor. Pulse 4 to 5 times to chop coarsely. Transfer them to a mixing bowl.
Add parsley to the food processor (no need to wash the processor). Chop coarsely.
Add the parsley to the leeks along with the eggs, sumac, salt and pepper. Stir in enough matzah meal to make a soft mixture. If too stiff, add another beaten egg.
Heat about a quarter-inch of oil in a heavy skillet. The oil is ready when a 1-inch bread cube toasts in 30 seconds. Drop by tablespoons into the hot oil. Press with a wooden spoon to flatten.
Fry the fritters over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Do not crowd; allow about a half-inch space between each fritter.
Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.
New Orleans Yeast-Free Beignets | Dairy or Pareve
Makes 18-20
If you’re using a deep-fry thermometer, the temperature should reach 360 to 375 degrees, or use the bread test: A 1-inch cube should brown in 30 seconds.
Make sure the baking powder is not outdated.
Dredge with powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar.
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup (1 stick) very soft butter or margarine
- 3½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- Vegetable oil for frying
Using an electric hand mixer, beat together the eggs, salt, nutmeg, butter or margarine, flour, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of sugar until the mixture comes together to form a sticky ball.
Turn out onto a well-floured board and knead for a minute or two until the mixture forms a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Divide the dough in half. Roll into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick.
With a sharp knife, cut the dough into squares or triangles. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Heat 2½ to 3 inches of oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat to 360 to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet or large dish with paper towels. Slide pastry pieces into hot oil, a few at a time. Do not crowd. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes to golden brown.
With a slotted spoon, flip over and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Both sides should be nicely browned. Drain on paper towels.
Dredge with remaining sugar and serve hot.
Ethel G. Hofman is a syndicated American Jewish food and travel columnist, author and culinary consultant.
