Chef notes
You can skip the onion in this latke recipe if you’d like to go with a sweeter potato pancake. The addition of the pumpkin and cinnamon make these Hanukkah latkes particularly kid-friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Idaho potatoes, peeled
- 1/2 yellow onion (optional)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Preparation
1.Place the onion in the freezer, if using. Coarsely grate the potatoes using the largest setting on a box grater. Transfer the shredded potatoes to a large bowl of cold water as you grate them to prevent them from discoloring.
2.Place a medium mixing bowl under a fine mesh sieve and place the grated potatoes in the sieve. Use a large wooden spoon or spatula to press out as much of the moisture as possible. Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
3.Remove the onion from the freezer and grate it; squeeze out the excess water. Add it to the potatoes, along with the egg, pumpkin, salt and pepper. Mix well.
4.Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Working in batches, spoon 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into the skillet, squeezing out any additional liquid before adding to the pan. Flatten the tops of the latkes slightly with a spatula. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook until the bottoms are browned, about 5 minutes. Flip latkes and cook an additional 4 minutes. Transfer latkes to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all of the mixture is gone.
5.Serve latkes while hot with applesauce and Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, is a nutrition expert, writer and best-selling author. Her books include Feed the Belly, The CarbLovers Diet and Eating in Color.
