This year, I'm sharing two versions of everyone's favorite Hanukkah dish. Enjoy!

This veg version from Girlie Girl Army (courtesy of VegNews Magazine) sounds delicious. I haven't tried it yet, but I want to! Check it out:

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 small yellow onion, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil, for frying

Instructions

1.  In a colander set over a large bowl, place potatoes.
2.  Using your hands, squeeze out the excess liquid from the potatoes.
3.  Pour off the liquid and place potatoes in the bowl.
4.  Add onion to potatoes along with parsley, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
5.  Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
6.  In a large skillet over medium heat, heat a thin layer of oil.
7.  Take a heaping tablespoon of batter and flatten it before gently placing it in the hot oil. Make three or four more potato pancakes this way, and add to skillet without crowding pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once, about 8 minutes total.
8.  Repeat with remaining potato mixture, adding more oil as necessary. Remove the cooked potato pancakes to paper towels to drain, then transfer to an ovenproof platter and keep warm in the oven until all pancakes are cooked.

Editor's Note: Serve with applesauce and vegan sour creme. And make more than you need... these go fast!


Our second version is from Post Punk Kitchen. I can't wait to hear what you think of these!

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds starchy white potatoes, peeled (russets, idaho, et al)
1 small yellow onion, peeled
1/4 cup potato or corn starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups matzoh meal
Lots of vegetable oil

Instructions

1.  If using a food processor, use the grating blade to shred the potatoes and theonion. (If shredding by hand, use a grater to shred all the potatoes. Dice the onion as finely as possible).
2.  Have ready brown paper shopping bags or paper towels for draining the oil from the latkes. You may also want to have the oven on at 200 F to keep the latkes warm until you're ready to serve. If serving immediately then just have a baking pan covered with tin foil ready to keep the finished ones warm after they've been drained.
3.  In a large mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon or your hands (it's faster to use your hands) mix the potatoes and onions with the potato starch until the potatoes have released some moisture and the sornstarch is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
4.  Add the salt and pepper to combine. Add the matzoh meal and mix well. Set aside for about 10 minutes. The mixture should get liquid-y but sticky.
5.  In the meantime, preheat a large preferable cast iron but definitely non-stickskillet over medium heat, a little bit on the high side. Add about 1/4 inchlayer of vegetable oil to the pan. The oil is hot enough when you throw a bit of batter in and bubbles rapidly form around it. If it immediately smokes then the heat is too high and you should lower it a bit. If the bubbles are really lazy then give it a few more minutes or turn the heat up a bit.
6.  With wet hands (so that the mixture doesn't stick) roll into small golf ball sized balls. Flatten into thin round patties. Fry about four to six at a time. Fry on one side for about 4 minutes, until golden brown. Flip over and fry for another three minutes.
7.  Transfer to the paper towels and proceed with the remaining latkes. Once latkes havedrained on both sides, place in a baking pan to keep warm.

How do you like to eat latkes? Share in the comments below!