Chanuka Recipes

Because of the significance of oil in the miracle of Chanukah, it has become customary to partake of foods fried in oil during the holiday. Two traditional treats are latkes and sufganiot (potato pancakes and doughnuts).


LATKES — POTATO PANCAKES
(Makes 16 3″ latkes)
Reprinted with the permission of Kosherfinder.com
Submitted by: bgoldberg

Ingredients:

1 medium-size onion, grated fine (1/3 cup approximately)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 pounds potatoes (approximately 6 medium)
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt (omit or reduce if on a salt-restricted diet)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Vegetable oil for shallow frying
Instructions:

1. If you are using a hand grater, place the onion and eggs in a large bowl. Peel the potatoes, then shred or grate them directly into the bowl. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper.

2. If you are using a food processor, grate the onion, then peel all the potatoes and grate or shred as many as you can at once. Place the potatoes and onions in a large bowl, mix in the eggs, flour, salt, and pepper.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1/8 inch of oil until it is hot but not yet smoking. For each latke, spoon about 1/4 cup of potato mixture into the oil, flattening slightly with the back of the spoon to make a 3-inch pancake. Cook until crisp and brown on one side, then turn and brown the other side. Add oil as necessary to cook all the latkes.

4. Drain well on paper towels. Serve hot.
Many people serve Latkes with applesauce or sour cream.

SUFGANIOT – DOUGHNUTS – Makes about 1 dozen
Reprinted with the permission of Kosherfinder.com
Submitted by: bgoldberg
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola, soybean, or other oil
1/4 cup orange juice or brewed coffee
2 1/2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder
Extra flour for the work surface
Oil for deep frying Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons orange juice or brewed coffee, approximately


Instructions

FOR DOUGHNUTS OR FRITTERS.

In a medium size mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs with the sugar and oil until well mixed. Beat in the juice or coffee, the flour, and the baking powder.

FOR DOUGHNUTS
1. Spread a thin layer of flour on a clean, dry work surface. Turn the dough out onto the flour. Coat your fingers with flour. Flatten the dough a little, then flip it over to coat the other side lightly with flour. Gently roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/2 inch. 2. Using a doughnut cutter dipped in flour, cut the dough into as many doughnuts and doughnut holes as you can. Reroll scraps, cut the remainder. 3. In an electric skillet or a large deep pot, heat an inch of oil until it is hot but not yet smoking. Carefully drop as many doughnuts and holes as will fit comfortably in the skillet or pot. Fry a few minutes on each side until nicely browned. Drain well on paper towels. 4. For the glaze, place the confectioners’ sugar in a small shallow bowl that will be large enough to accommodate a doughnut for dipping. Blend in orange juice or coffee half a teaspoon at a time, until smooth and just thick enough to run off the spoon. While still warm, dip the doughnuts into the glaze. If you prefer, sprinkle the fried doughnuts with plain confectioners’ sugar.

FOR FRITTERS
Omits steps one and two above. Heat the oil as in Step 3 above. Carefully drop the dough (which will be sticky) by rounded teaspoons into the hot oil. Fry until golden all over. Drain well on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, dip into a glaze, or serve with a little bowl of honey for dipping.
In honor of Yehudit, many people have the custom of eating dairy foods. A popular combination of the custom of dairy and oil is Cottage Cheese Pancakes:

COTTAGE CHEESE PANCAKES – Makes 16 2″ pancakes

Reprinted with the permission of Kosherfinder.com
Submitted by: bgoldberg

Ingredients:

Cheese latkes use the same basic ingredients as cheese blintzes, minus the milk in the batter, but they are considerably easier to prepare. Measure, stir, cook, and enjoy these golden, crisp cheese pancakes. Top the latkes with cinnamon and sugar, applesauce, or sour cream. Fresh fruit, either sliced strawberries or sliced ripe peaches, make a good topping as well.

1 cup (8 ounces) cottage cheese
1 cup unbleached white flour
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 eggs (graded large)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter for frying, approximately
Optional accompaniments described above
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, use a large spoon to beat together the cottage cheese, flour, sugar and cinnamon, and the eggs.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt part of the butter over moderate heat until sizzling but not brown.

Using 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake, spoon the batter into the hot butter.

Fry until set and brown on one side, then turn and brown the other side. Add more butter to the skillet, continue cooking.

Serve immediately with any accompaniments you like.