Of the many ways to commemorate the miracle of Hanukkah — in which a small vial of oil lasted eight days in the Holy Temple — my favorite is to prepare treats fried in oil.
Latkes (Yiddish for pancakes) come in all shapes, sizes and flavors, a big difference from my childhood, when potatoes seemed to be the only ingredient of choice. Potatoes still reign supreme, but there are eight days of Hanukkah — ample time to try this recipe, which embraces the spirit of the holiday and adds a modern twist.
Note: I prefer not to use flour in these latkes, but if you like your pancakes to hold together more firmly, add 2 tablespoons of flour to the batter.
Parsnip-Sweet Potato Latkes
Latkes come in all shapes and sizes. This parsnip-sweet potato latke is a new twist on a holiday classic.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 2 large parsnips (about 12 oz), peeled
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 12 oz), peeled
- 2–3 shallots, thinly sliced (about ⅔ cup)
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 egg whites
- 1½ tsp chopped thyme
- ¾ cup canola oil, for frying
- sour cream or creme fraiche, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Using a food processor or box grater, grate parsnips and sweet potatoes. In a large mixing bowl, combine parsnips, sweet potatoes, shallots, salt, egg whites and thyme.
- Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, spoon ¼ cup batter at a time on to the skillet and press down with a fork to flatten. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, until crisp and browned. Drain on paper towels and keep warm for up to 1 hour in a 200°F oven.
- Serve with sour cream or creme fraiche, or top with a fried egg and sliced scallions for breakfast.
Notes
I prefer not to use flour in these latkes, but if you like your pancakes to hold together more firmly, add 2 Tbsp flour to the batter.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Holiday
How can I bake these instead of frying?
We haven’t tested baking this recipe but don’t see why not.
Instead of flout add ground flax seed to the sweet potato, parsnip onion moxture.
Great
Have you freezed these latkes?
I have to prepare at least one day before
and bring.
Here’s everything you need to know about freezing latkes.
Can 2 eggs be substituted for egg whites?
Using only egg whites results in a lighter, crisper latke, but if you like a denser texture, whole eggs are fine.
Wondeeful have not had Sweet Potatoes…Just love them both ways.
Wonderful can’t wait to try this.
Sweet potatoes are my favorite. Thanks for the suggestion!
These have been a favourite (Cdn spelling) for a couple of years now. They are so good that I make them at Rosh Hashanah and Passover as a kugel by adding a little gluten-free flour. It freezes well.
Why just the egg whites? Why not the entire egg?
Using only egg whites results in a lighter, crisper latke, but if you like a denser texture, whole eggs are fine.