How To Make Lighter Latkes
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
Baked Latkes
Oven Baked Latkes
Ingredients
- 1 lb. russet potatoes (or Yukon Gold)
- 1 small, sweet onion
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Wash and dry potatoes and remove the dry, outer skin from the onion (there is no need to peel the potatoes). Grate, preferable using a fairly large/coarse grater, potatoes and onion. Place mixture in a colander or sieve and press down firmly with a paper towel to remove some of the excess moisture. Stir potato mixture and repeat.
- Transfer potato mixture to a large bowl and stir in the egg. In a small bowl, mix together the baking powder, salt and flour, then stir that in as well.
- Drop latke mixture in 2-3 tbsp measures, forming 2-3 inch pancakes that are about 1/4 inch thick (sightly thicker is ok), on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then turn the pancakes over, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Latkes should be deep gold on both sides when done, so add a minute or two to the baking time, if necessary.
And if you're committed to making latkes the traditional way, check out the video below:
How to Make Traditional (Fried) Latkes:
How do you feel about lighter latkes? Take our poll below.
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First Posted: 12/14/2011 3:55 pm Updated: 08/31/2012 10:48 am