Hanukkah begins at sunset on Tuesday, December 20 this year, and you just can't properly celebrate the Jewish holiday without latkes, those addictive and crispy potato pancakes.
But these traditional treats present a problem for health-conscious holiday revelers -- there's simply nothing good for you about fried starch. (Oil infuses the latkes with flavor, but it's also a key component of Hanukkah's eight-day celebration.) So even though some purists dismiss lighter latke recipes as blasphemous (check out the nasty comments on this New York Times blog post) we uncovered a pretty darn good one and decided to share it with you!
While you can make them with all kinds of ingredients, including buckwheat and cheese, potato latkes are the most popular variety today. They originated in Eastern Europe during the mid-1800s because potatoes were so easy (and cheap!) to grow, and they taste amazing, kind of like "hash browns on steroids." The baked latkes below don't drip with oil like the fried ones, but they will emerge from your oven crispy, golden-brown and delicious.
Looking for more Hanukkah recipes? Check out our 10 Festive Foods For A Hanukkah Celebration
And if you're committed to making latkes the traditional way, check out the video below:
How do you feel about lighter latkes? Take our poll below.