(Jewish News) Many of us love enjoying potato latkes for Hanukkah to celebrate the miracle of the oil, but did you know that there is another special holiday ingredient that often goes overlooked? You aren’t alone if you had no idea that cheese, and more specifically fried cheese, was a Hanukkah symbol.
The meaning behind cheese latkes comes from the story of a brave heroine Judith (or Yehudis), a beautiful young widow who lived among a small down of Jews in Bethulia in Israel. A Greek army led by their general, Holofernes, began to take over the town by seizing their only available water reserves.
Desperate and weak due to the lack of water, Judith courageously stepped forward and asked for an audience with Holofernes. Struck by her beauty, the general invited Judith into his tent where she offered him a heavy meal of salty cheese and wine to wash it down. When Holofernes was deep in a food and wine stupor, Judith stole his sword, cut off his head and hung it in the town square for everyone to see. The rest of the Greek army was so distraught that they fled the town leaving Judith and her people safe once again.
While there is still some debate over the timeline between the Hanukkah miracle and this great heroic act by Judith, many have enjoyed eating fried cheese latkes as part of their Hanukkah celebration. In fact, it wasn’t until more recently, possibly due to a lack of available cheese, that potato latkes became more popular and common to enjoy during Hanukkah.
So for this year, I have decided to fry up some varieties of cheese latkes to serve for our holiday celebrations. I don’t know very many people who aren’t a fan of cheese, so I hope these recipes help provide you with some new ways to enjoy the holiday.
Fried Ricotta Pancakes
These cheesy pancakes are probably similar to the traditional latkes served to celebrate Judith and her bravery. They can be enjoyed as-is or with a toping of jelly or drizzle of honey as a way to enjoy a sweet, salty treat for Hanukkah. My kids absolutely loved these and have since requested them for breakfast on weekend mornings when we have a bit more leisure to our mornings.
Ingredients
- 15 oz whole milk Ricotta Cheese
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups of flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Oil for frying
- Optional: 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Directions
- In a blender or food processor, combine the ricotta cheese and eggs and pulse until combined.
- While that is processing, add the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Slowly pour the cheese and egg mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until a thick batter has formed.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add your oil until about 1/4 inch high. Slowly add large spoonfuls of batter to the pan making sure they are even in thickness by flattening out with a spoon if necessary.
- Cook pancakes for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until crispy and brown on both sides, flipping once to ensure even cooking.
- Add more oil as needed and repeat the process of adding the batter and cooking in the pan until all pancakes have been cooked.
- Serve immediately as-is or with a bit of jelly or drizzle of honey.
Apple Cheddar Latkes
There is something really comforting about the combination of tart apples and cheddar cheese. And these simple but tasty latkes look a bit more like the common potato latkes due to the shredded ingredients. In fact, my oldest was pleasantly surprised to taste these after claiming he didn’t really like latkes. When I assured him it would taste like no latke he’s ever had, he went for a taste and came back to gobble down a few more. We always tend to have most of these ingredients on hand, so they will be easy to remake and enjoy not only during Hanukkah but year-round.
Ingredients
- 5 large green apples
- 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups of flour
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- Oil for frying
Directions
- Wash, peel and grate the apples. Squeeze out excess liquids and place in a large bowl.
- Add the shredded cheese and eggs and mix to combine.
- Add the remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix until fully combined. I recommend getting a bit dirty and using your hands for this part.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add your oil until about 1/4 inch high. Using about 1/4 cup of the mixture per latke, form round flat patties and place into the hot pan.
- Cook latkes for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until crispy and brown on both sides, flipping once to ensure even cooking.
- Repeat the process of forming the flat patties and cooking in the pan until all latkes have been cooked. If oil gets too low, slowly add a bit more to the skillet.
- Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve warm.
This article was originally posted on Jewish News.
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