Latke
A latke frying | |
Alternative names | Levivot, latka, potato pancake |
---|---|
Type | Fritter |
Region or state | Central and Eastern Europe |
Serving temperature | Hot, traditionally withsour creamorapplesauce |
Main ingredients | Potatoes,onion,egg,matzo meal,kosher salt,cooking oil |
Alatke(Yiddish:לאַטקעlatke;sometimes romanizedlatka,lit. "pancake" ) is a type ofpotato pancakeorfritterinAshkenazi Jewish cuisinethat is traditionally prepared to celebrateHanukkah.[1]Latkes can be made with ingredients other than potatoes such as cheese, onion, carrot, and zucchini.[2]
Etymology
[edit]The word comes from the Yiddishlatke,itself from theEast Slavicoladka,a diminutive ofoladya'small fried pancake', which in turn is fromHellenistic Greekἐλάδιονeládion,'(olive) oil', diminutive ofAncient Greekἔλαιονélaion,'oil'.[3][4]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Latkas.jpg/220px-Latkas.jpg)
ItsModern Hebrewname,levivah(לְבִיבָהlevivá), plurallevivot,is a revival of a word used in theBook of Samuelto describe a dumpling made from kneaded dough, part of the story ofAmnonandTamar.[5]Some interpreters have noted that the homonymlevav(לֵבָבleváv) means "heart", and the verbal form of l-v-v (ל־ב־בl-b-b) occurs in theSong of Songsas well.
History
[edit]Some version of latkes goes back to at least the Middle Ages.[6]They were likely made of cheese (probably eitherricottaorcurd cheese), fried in poppyseed oil or butter, and served with fruit preserves. Thesecheese latkeswere the most common kind of latke in Ashkenazi communities until the 19th century when the potato arrived in eastern Europe.[6][7][8][9]At the time, the cheapest and most readily available cooking fat wasschmaltz,rendered poultry fat (usually from a goose or chicken), and due toJewish dietary laws,which prohibit themixing of meat and dairyproducts, alternatives to the cheese latke were introduced. These includedbuckwheat,rye flour,or root vegetables endemic to the region, such asturnips.[8]As the potato became popular in eastern Europe, it was quickly adopted to the point that today,latkeis almost synonymous with potatoes.[6]
The latke is traditionally prepared during the Hanukkah holiday to commemorate the miracle of the oil in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem lasting eight days.[10]
Variations
[edit]![Potato latkes frying in a skillet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Latkesskillet.jpg/220px-Latkesskillet.jpg)
Latkes today are most commonly made with potatoes, although other vegetables are also sometimes used. There are two main varieties: those made with grated potato and those made with puréed or mashed potato. The textures of these two varieties are different.
Grated potato version
[edit]Latkes made of grated potatoes are popular. They are prepared by grating potatoes and onions with a box grater or food processor; then, excess moisture is squeezed out. The grated potatoes are then mixed with eggs and flour or matzo meal; a vegan version useschickpea flourandpotato starchinstead of eggs. The latkes are fried in batches in an oiled pan. The thickness is a matter of personal preference.
Puréed potato version
[edit]The dough for puréed potato latkes is puréed in a food processor. This form of latke is easier to shape and has a "pudding-like consistency".[11]
Other variations
[edit]Before the potato, latkes were and in some places still are, made from a variety of other vegetables, cheeses, legumes, or starches.[12]Modern recipes often call for the addition of onions and carrots.[13][14]Other versions includezucchini,sweet onion,gruyere(forfrench onionflavor), and sweet potatoes.[15]Sephardi Jewsmake latkes with zucchini and garlic (mücver), omitting dairy-based toppings (yogurt) when served as a side for roasts or meat.[16]Latkes are often served with either sour cream or applesauce.
See also
[edit]- Ijjeh– Middle Eastern dish of creamed egg mixed with greens (sometimes cooked like latkes)
- Fritas de prasa– Sephardic Jewish leek fritters
- Hush puppy– Deep-fried savory food made from cornmeal batter
- Latke–Hamantash Debate– Annual debate at the University of Chicago
References
[edit]- ^Koenig, Leah (17 March 2015).Modern Jewish Cooking: Recipes & Customs for Today's Kitchen.Chronicle Books. p. 119.ISBN9781452132327.Retrieved22 December2015.
- ^"What Are Latkes? Plus: A Simple Potato Latke Recipe".Chabad.org.
- ^Oxford English Dictionary,3rd edition, December 2019, [s.v.https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/106171]
- ^Vasmer, Maksimilian Romanovich(1973) [1958].Etimologichesky slovar russkogo yazyka(Этимологический словарь русского языка)[Russian Etymological Dictionary] (in Russian). Moskva: Progress.
- ^DLC (18 December 2006)."Analysis of the word" latke "".Balashon.Retrieved25 December2011.
- ^abcMarks, Gil (17 November 2010)."Latke".Encyclopedia of Jewish Food.Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 707.ISBN978-0544186316.Retrieved22 December2015.
- ^Goodman, Matthew (23 November 2001)."On Chanukah, Cheese Was the Norm, But Then Came the Potato".Forward. Archived fromthe originalon 7 September 2005.Retrieved30 May2017.
- ^abWex, Michael (12 April 2016).Rhapsody in Schmaltz: Yiddish Food and Why We Can't Stop Eating It.St. Martin's Press.ISBN9781250071514.
- ^"Discover the History of Latkes".PBS. 12 December 2011.
- ^"Behind the Hanukkah tradition of latkes - CBS News".www.cbsnews.com.22 December 2019.Retrieved5 December2023.
- ^Geller, Jamie."Healthier Potato Kugel Recipe (Recipe for potato kugel, but she talks about this kind of latke later in the video)".Youtube.Archivedfrom the original on 22 December 2021.Retrieved8 October2019.
- ^Appelbaum, Yoni (11 December 2015)."Everything You Know About Latkes Is Wrong".The Atlantic.Retrieved22 December2015.
- ^Rachael Ray,Quick Potato and Carrot Latkes,The Food Network,December 20, 2008.
- ^Philip and Karen Selwyn,Potato-carrot-onion Latkes,rec.food.cuisine.jewish archives, Oct. 11, 1998, 1:00 AM.
- ^"The only latke recipe video you'll ever need".JTA. 1 February 2019.Retrieved1 February2019.
- ^Levy, Faye (26 September 2009).Faye Levy's International Jewish Cookbook.Grand Central Publishing.ISBN9780446567251.
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