Squash & Potato Latkes, Homemade Apple Sauce

So, um, this is awkward.

A week after my pro-Christmas/Hannukah-bashing post, and here I am with a recipe for latkes.

Jewish guilt at it’s finest.

In truth, I love latkes.  For me, they’re the best part of Hannukah.  Better than the story of Judah Maccabee, better than my aunt Lis’ fancy menorah, better than lighting candles for eight nights running is the golden, crispy latke.  Gently fried and filled with soft potato and, in this case, butternut squash, they’re like hash browns, only Jewier.

And with homemade apple sauce?  Fine.  I’ll admit it.  Hannukah is kind of awesome.

 

Squash & Potato Latkes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut squash (I used the neck of 1 quite small squash)
• 2 medium Russet potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 2 teaspoons salt
• big pinch of black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, whisked
• canola oil, for frying

Directions:

Using the largest holes on a box grater, grate the squash, onion and potatoes.  Do not keep or rinse the grated potatoes in water (doing so will rinse off much of the starch, which is important to help bind the latkes).  In a large bowl, mix together the squash, potato, onion, salt, pepper, flour and eggs – mix well, until thoroughly combined.  Place the latke mixture in a large colander set over a bowl (it will release a lot of liquid, and you don’t want a soupy mixture).

Heat about 1/8-inch canola oil in a medium or large sized frying pan over medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, drop large spoonfuls of latke mixture into the pan (you’ll know the oil is the perfect frying temperature if you hear small sizzles when you drop the latkes.  The oil should pop and bubble a bit, but if it’s flying all over the place, lower the temperature).  Use a spatula to gently flip each latke as it crisps up and browns (this should take about 2 minutes per side), and drain on a paper towel-lined sheet pan before serving.

If you can’t eat the latkes straight from the pan, store them in the refrigerator and reheat them on a cookie sheet in a 325 degree oven before serving.

Homemade Apple Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cubed
• 4 Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored and cubed
• 2 cups water
• juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 pinch salt

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the apples, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, honey and salt.  Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Boil gently, stirring on occasion, until most of the liquid has evaporated and most of the apples have broken down.  Remove from heat, cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator.  Stored in an airtight container, applesauce will keep for about a week in the fridge.

Makes 6-8 cups applesauce.