Being Jewish - Winter 2000 - Chanukah Cooking 101

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Chanukah Cooking 101
by Ethel Hofman
Certain holiday traditions just can’t be altered or family and friends end up disappointed. This issue we thought we’d bring you three simple but traditional Chanukah favorites from around the world.

Classic Potato Latkes
Makes 24

Here is the food-processor method for the popular American favorite, the potato latke. This kind of latke originated in Eastern Europe where potatoes were cheap and plentiful. It also happens to be an easy recipe to make with your kids, particularly the prep side and the draining.

Ingredients

2 eggs
¼small onion, cut into 3 pieces
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1- inch pieces
¼ teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Vegetable oil for frying Applesauce or sour cream

Directions

1. Break eggs into a food processor. Add onion and potatoes. Process until potatoes are coarsely chopped. Add baking powder, flour, salt, and pepper. Pulse 3 or 4 times to mix.
2. Heat 1/8 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of potato mixture into skillet; press lightly with back of a spoon to flatten slightly. Cook on both sides until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Continue frying, adding more oil as needed, until all of the batter is used.
3. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with applesauce for a meat meal and sour cream for a dairy meal.

Our Food Editor
In addition to being the food editor of Being Jewish for ten years, Ethel Hofman is a past president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and author of Everyday Cooking for the Jewish Home, Harper-Collins, 1997.

Sufganiot Makes 20–24
These jelly donuts without the hole are the foremost Chanukah delicacy in Israel — way ahead of potato latkes. This quick version is made with baking powder rather than yeast.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
3 tablespoons strawberry preserves or your favorite flavor
Vegetable oil for frying
Powdered sugar *
To sour milk, mix one cup milk with 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar. Let stand for 10 minutes without stirring. Directions
1. In a medium bowl, mix flour and granulated sugar. Rub in butter to resemble coarse bread crumbs. Stir in baking powder.
2. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Mix in enough buttermilk to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.
3. With floured hands, roll 1 rounded tablespoon of dough into a ball about 112 inches in diameter.With your finger or the handle end of a wooden spoon dipped in flour, make an indentation large enough to hold 1/2 teaspoon preserves.Work dough around preserves to seal completely. Repeat with rest of dough and preserves.
4. In a large saucepan or deep fryer, heat 2 inches of oil to 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Gently slide dough balls into hot oil in batches without crowding. Cook over medium heat, turning often. Until crisp and brown, 3½ to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and toss in powdered sugar. Serve hot.

Jewish Scottish Strudel
Makes 12–18 Servings
The women in the small, tight-knit Glasgow Jewish community are famous as good bakers. Their Chanukah strudel pastry is actually a spongy cake dough instead of traditional filo leaves. It freezes well. Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
33/4 cups self-rising flour*
6 tablespoons apricot preserves, melted
1 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup currants
6 tablespoons chopped walnuts Cinnamon
• In place of self-rising flour, you can substitute 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour mixed with 4 teaspoons baking powder.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a large baking sheet with non-stick vegetable spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Stir in oil. Fold in flour. Refrigerate for one hour.
3. Divide dough into 3 pieces. On a floured board, press 1 piece of dough into a rectangle about 6 inches by 10 inches. Spread 2 tablespoons preserves over the dough. Sprinkle on 1/3 cup raisins, ¼ cup currants and 2 tablespoons nuts. Dust lightly with cinnamon. Roll up as for a jelly roll. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
4. Bake in a preheat oven 35 minutes. Let cool. Cut into slices ½ inch thick.

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