Frying high
Keeping culinary traditions - known and not-so-known
JERUSALEM – Latkes and sufganiyot, the jelly-filled doughnuts especially popular in Israel, are well-known Chanukah fare made with oil to signify the holiday tale.
Lesser known is the tradition of cheese and the story of Judith.
The books of the Chanukah story never made it into the Bible – and neither did the book of Judith. It tells of a beautiful widow whose town was under siege by the army of the Assyrians. She decided to visit the commander in chief of the army to ask him not to overtake the town. As the story goes, she gives him wine, he gets fall-down drunk, and falls into a stupor. Judith beheads the king and saves her people and the town.
Get The Jewish Standard Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up
Legend has it that Judith fed him cheese to make him thirsty, and since she lived in the same period as Judah Maccabee and the rest of the Hasmonean clan, Jews of various communities instituted the custom of eating cheese dishes in honor of her heroism.
On my cookbook shelf is a a classic written in the 1970s – “A Taste of Tradition,” by Ruth Sirkis, the “Julia Child of Israel.” Sirkis wrote numerous cookbooks and was the food editor for a major Israeli women’s magazine. She also hosted a popular radio show.
“A Taste of Tradition” covered all the Jewish holidays; below are some of her Chanukah recipes. Also, in honor of Judith, some cheese recipes are included from various sources.
Cheese latkes
(This recipe is from “Spice and Spirit, The Complete Kosher Jewish Cookbook of the Lubavitch Women.”)
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup drained cottage cheeseo
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil
Given the insubstantial nature of cottage cheeses these days, you may want to substitute pot cheese. Fairway is one of the few places left that sell the cheese.
Preparation:
Place eggs, milk, cheese, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and mix until smooth.
Heat oil in a frying pan (if using nonstick pan, use less oil.) Drop batter by spoon into hot oil. Fry until brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels and continue until all batter is used. Keep warm until serving. Serve with sour cream or applesauce.
Vanilla ricotta fritters
(This recipe comes from Chicago chef Gale Gand, who got it from her mother-in-law.)
Ingredients:
vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
confectioners sugar
Preparation:
In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil. Set a large wire rack over a baking sheet, top with paper towels and position near the saucepan.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the ricotta and beat until smooth. Add flour and baking powder and beat until just blended.
Using a very small ice cream scoop or 2 teaspoons, slide 8 walnut-size rounds of batter into the hot oil. Fry over moderate heat until deep golden all over and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the rack to drain. Continue frying the remaining fritters in batches of 8. Arrange the fritters on a platter and dust well with confectioners sugar. Makes 8 servings.
Paradise ponchikis
Here are recipes by Ruth Sirkis for the mini doughnuts called ponchiki in Russian and ponchik in Yiddish that were brought to Israel by immigrants, as well as several types of latkes.
Ingredients:
1 cup water
4 ounces margarine
1 cup flour
4 eggs
oil
Preparation:
Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add margarine and continue boiling until it melts. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.
Remove from heat. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Heat oil in a pot for deep frying. When oil is hot, drop in pieces of dough from a teaspoon. Let puff and turn as needed to assure even browning.
Remove from oil with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with warm sauce.
Chocolate sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup light corn syrup
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsalted margarine
Preparation:
Combine syrup and chocolate in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until the chocolate melts.
Remove from heat, add vanilla and margarine. Mix well. Serve warm.
Orange sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 tablespoon unsalted margarine
Preparation:
Mix orange juice, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and let cool. Add lemon juice, orange liqueur, orange rind, and margarine. Mix. Serve warm.
(Author’s note: You can also sprinkle confectioners sugar on ponchikes instead of sauces.)
Modern potato latkes
Ingredients
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 ounces margarine
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash white pepper
1 teaspoon dehydrated onion flakes
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare mashed potatoes according to packaged directions, substituting water for milk or boil and mash 1/2 pound fresh potatoes.
Add margarine, flour, eggs, salt, pepper and onion flakes. Mix well.
Fill a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip with potato mixture. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Press out latkes on cookie sheet to resemble a 3-inch long ladyfinger.
Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Bake latkes for 15 minutes. They should puff a little and have a golden color. Serve immediately. Makes 16-20 latkes.
Traditional latkes
Ingredients:
2 pounds peeled potatoes
1 small onion
1 small apple
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
oil
Preparation:
Grate potatoes on a coarse grater. Peel and grate onion and apple.
Beat eggs lightly. Add potatoes, onion and blend well. Add salt, flour and baking powder, and mix thoroughly.
Pour one inch of oil in a large skillet and heat. Drop pancake mixture by tablespoons into the hot oil. Fry and brown on both sides. Serve hot with sour cream or applesauce. Makes 20 latkes.
(Note: You can also use an electric blender for grating. Cut each potato into 8 pieces, put in blender and cover with water. Close lid and blend at medium speed for 5 seconds. Drain through a sieve. Put potatoes in bowl and proceed.)
JTA Wire Service
comments