latkes (and a recipe!)

[spiderdust]

Last night we did our annual batch of latkes. Latkes are one of our family holiday traditions (it's actually a tradition that we started celebrating with ag_unicorn, thats_ms_dragon, dancing_star, and their children), but since we made some dietary changes this year, I figured I'd probably never be able to have latkes again. However in the spirit of not feeling deprived but not overdoing it, we made latkes & invited iceblink and insomnia over to help us eat them.

In addition to the standard potato latkes, we tried a new recipe: matzo meal & cottage cheese latkes. Apparently this recipe was developed by Russian emigrés. They reminded me a bit of hush puppies; maybe needed a bit more onion. I'd like to think that they were probably kinder to my blood sugar than the potato ones, but I haven't actually done the counts on the ingredients, so I could be in for a shock. It's only once a year, though, and I didn't go crazy. Besides, like ag_unicorn said last year, "I just don't think it would be the holidays without latkes. :)"


Matzo Meal and Cottage Cheese Latkes
from Jewish Cooking by Marlena Spieler

Makes about twenty [seemed closer to 15 to me]

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cups cottage cheese

3 eggs, separated

1 tsp. salt

2 1/4 cups matzo meal

1 onion, coarsely grated, or 3-5 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. sugar

2-3 tbsp. plain yogurt or water [I used 3]

vegetable oil, for shallow frying

ground black pepper

In a bowl, mash the cottage cheese. Mix in the egg yolks, half the salt, the matzo meal, onion, sugar, yogurt or water, and pepper.

Whisk the egg whites with the remaining salt until stiff. Fold one-third of the whisked egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining egg whites.

Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan to the depth of about 1/2", until a cube of bread added to the pan turns brown immediately. Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into the pan; fry over a medium-high heat until the undersides are a golden brown. Turn carefully and fry the second side.

When cooked, remove the latkes from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper [I used paper towels]. Serve immediately or place on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.

VARIATIONS
To make sweet latkes, omit the onion and add 1-2 tbsp. sugar, chopped nuts and some cinnamon. serve topped with a spoonful of jam or honey.