Mediterranean Latkes Savory Pancakes Food

LATKES (POTATO PANCAKES)

Steps:

• Wash and peel the potatoes.
• Grate the potatoes with a grater or food processor.
• (You can grate them into a bowl of salted water to keep them from discoloring. Otherwise they discolor about as fast as you can grate them, although it doesn't hurt anything if you use them right away). Drain off all liquid, and squeeze the excess liquid out by hand.
• (Do this even if you don't soak them in the salted water.) Beat the eggs and mix with the grated potatoes and other ingredients, except the oil.
• Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium high heat until very hot.
• Drop potato mixture by heaping tablespoons into oil (about 4 at a time).
• Use a pancake turner to flatten them out.
• Fry to golden brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side).
• Drain on paper towels.
• Serve topped with applesauce or sour cream.

OUR FAVORITE LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Set racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Place wire cooling racks in the rimmed baking sheets and place in the oven.
• Using a food processor with a grating insert, grate the potatoes and then the onions, transferring grated vegetables to a large bowl when the bowl of the food processor is filled. Alternately, use a box grater. Working in batches, place the potatoes and onions in a clean dishtowel and thoroughly wring out the excess liquid over the sink, then transfer the potato-onion mixture to a large bowl. The more liquid you remove, the crispier your latkes will be, so take your time and use several dish towels if necessary. Reserve the potato-onion mixture.
• In another large bowl, whisk together the matzo meal, salt, and pepper. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the potato-onion mixture and mix well.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt equal parts schmaltz and oil (or oil only if omitting the schmaltz) until a scant 1/4-inch depth of fat is reached. Drop 2 tablespoons of latke mixture into the hot fat, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten latkes slightly using a spatula and cook, turning once, until crisp, golden brown, and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Transfer latkes to wire racks and season with salt; return to the oven to keep warm; season with salt. As you remove latkes from the pan, replace them with fresh spoonfuls of potato mixture to maintain oil temperature. Add additional schmaltz and/or oil around the edge of the pan as needed to maintain a scant 1/4-inch depth of fat.
• Keep latkes warm in oven and serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.

MEDITERRANEAN LATKES (SAVORY PANCAKES)

Steps:

• Whiz together all sauce ingredients in a mini-blender and pour into a small crock; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Bring 3 cups water to the boil in a small saucepan; add brown rice and boil for 30 minutes; add lentils and boil for 20 minutes longer (the mixture will look like porridge); allow to cool (mixture will thicken as it cools).
• Put minced onion, grated sweet potato and zucchini into a colander and toss with 1 tsp salt; allow to drain for ½ an hour; after half an hour, take handfuls of the vegetable mixture and squeeze as much water out as you can from it.
• Place it into a large bowl as you squeeze it dry; add cooled rice/lentil mixture, minced garlic, cheeses, parsley, dill, mint, egg and rye flour; with hands combine very well so that everything is evenly distributed; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before frying.
• Pour enough oil (I used olive) into a large, non-stick skillet to come ¾ of an inch up sides of pan; heat over medium-high heat until small amount of latke mixture put in will immediately come to the surface and fry fairly briskly.
• Take about 2 tbsp of latke mixture at a time, shape into a patty that is about 3 inches in diameter and ½ an inch thick; fry 4-5 minutes; after 4-5 minutes, gently turn patty over and fry other side; as patties turn a deep golden-brown, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
• Repeat with remaining latke mixture until all the patties have been fried.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with the sauce.

SAUERKRAUT LATKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, apples, sauerkraut and eggs. Combine the flour, salt and pepper; stir into potato mixture., Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into oil; press lightly to flatten. Fry in batches until golden brown on both sides, using remaining oil as needed. Drain on paper towels. Top with sour cream and green onions if desired.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA LATKES

Steps:

• Blend garbanzo beans, garlic, and rosemary in processor to coarse paste. Add eggs, 6 tablespoons water and extra-virgin olive oil; blend until smooth. Add flour, cumin, salt, pepper, and baking powder and blend. Pour batter into bowl.
• Heat 6 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Cook until golden, about 1 minute per side. Using slotted spatula, transfer latkes to paper towels to drain. Add more oil to skillet as necessary and allow to get hot before adding more batter. Transfer latkes to plates. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if desired, and serve.