Although I’m not Jewish, part of me is deeply (and oddly) obsessed with Jewish tradition. You’ll find me up late at night watching an Oprah special on Hasidic Jews; I’ll spend hours reading up on their use of wigs, eventually stumbling upon an article about Brooklyn’s Hasidic designers (Mimi Hecht and Mushky Notik of Mimu Maxi, if you must know) and how they’ve adapted traditional customs to modern life, in Brooklyn of all places. There, that’s my holiday secret.
But the one area of Jewish tradition that entices me the most is their food — particularly the holiday foods of Hanukkah and how cooks are putting their own twists on those traditional eats. There is nothing more classic than latkes and kugel, which you’ll find recipes for below — but not your traditional recipes! Let’s dive into their origins before sharing modernized recipes for family favorites.
Latkes
The reality of latkes is that they’re not really about the potatoes, but more about the oil they are fried in. The oil commemorates the miracle of one night’s oil lasting eight nights in the temple over 2,000 years ago.
Today, the latkes made by the Jewish community are a little bit different. Originally, they were fried in schmaltz (animal fat), and were made from buckwheat or rye. Potatoes weren’t cultivated in Europe until the 16th century, thus the use of the grains. Go back two more centuries, and they actually originated as an Italian custom of frying ricotta — it honored the custom of celebrating the holiday by consuming dairy goods. So what’s a latke? It started off as deep-fried ricotta, then become a pancake of whole grain fried in schmaltz, and eventually settled on the crispy potato cakes we know today.
“Potato latkes are essential for the Hanukkah meal. My dad and I always made them together. When I make them for my family, it brings back fond memories, and makes me feel like my dad is looking down and watching me with love. The key to perfect latkes is the oil. There has to be enough to fry them to a golden brown, but not too much to make them greasy, and the oil needs to be at just the right temperature so they don’t burn.” —Andy Dowling, summer visitor
Yucca Latkes with Ají Amarillo Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Samantha Shapiro-Ferraro of Little Ferraro Kitchen (littleferrarokitchen.com). Yield: 10 to 12 latkes.
“I love throwing a cultural twist with latkes. You can make latkes out of anything and blend with your favorite flavors. I’ve done a Peruvian spin with yucca, and an Italian spin on latkes and made them caprese-style with roasted garlic and burrata. This year I’d love to make a Hawaiian spin on latkes with purple sweet potato and coconut.” —Samantha Shapiro-Ferraro
Yucca Latkes
3 medium-sized yucca, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (or small enough to fit into your food processor)
½ sweet white onion, peeled and cut into pieces
1 medium-size Yukon (or other) potato, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 eggs
¼ cup flour or matzo meal
Canola oil, for frying
Ají Amarillo Sauce
2 Tbsp. ají amarillo paste
3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Small bunch of fresh cilantro, stems removed
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
½ cup mayonnaise
½ lime, zested and juiced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Water (to help thin consistency if needed)
Salt and pepper, to taste
To make the latkes, using a food processor with the small shredding blade, shred the yucca, onion, and potato, and place in a bowl. Use a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess moisture. The dryer the veggies, the crispier the latkes. Then add eggs, flour (or matzo meal), salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Add about ½ inch of canola oil to a large frying pan and bring it up to about 360℉. Test oil for temperature by placing a small piece of mixture in the oil. If it sizzles, it’s ready. Use a tablespoon to form latkes and fry for about 3 or 4 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Flip over and fry on other side. When done, reserve on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt while they’re hot.
To make the aji sauce, add all sauce ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste the seasoning and slowly add water for desired consistency. It should be creamy with a bit of heat. You can omit the jalapeño for less heat.
Kugel
Kugel is the German word for ball. It was traditionally cooked in a round clay lidded pot on top of another pot, creating a steamy environment that kept the kugel moist. The first recipe for kugel was printed in Esther Levy’s 1871 ”Jewish Cookery Book,” and was made with homemade noodles, raisins, sugar, and eggs. Noodles and eggs are the principal ingredients, and sugar was added when it came to Europe in the 17th century. Today, boxed noodles have replaced most home recipes, and each family has their beloved additions, whether they serve it as a side dish or a dessert.
“It is sweet — it is sometimes served as a dessert, but my favorite is to have it as a side dish to either brisket or roast chicken. It isn’t overly sweet so it works well. Think Jewish chicken and waffles!” —Sheryl Dagostino, West Tisbury
Pumpkin Noodle Kugel
Check out the recipe at Overtime Cook (overtimecook.com).