Hanukkah Latkes from My Moscow Childhood
Food plays a vital role in our traditions and religious events. Just as Thanksgiving is unimaginable without turkey, stuffing, roasted potatoes, and cranberry sauce, or Christmas without special cookies and gingerbread, Jewish celebrations also revolve around the table. For generations, sharing traditional holiday meals has created deep, unique experiences for children and adults alike. It was essential for a nation striving to survive and to maintain its identity in exile, without its own land.
We are, in many ways, what we eat. Food can serve as both comfort and identity. For the Jewish people, as they struggled to survive in hostile environments, the holiday table became a symbol of resilience and belonging. Shabbat is associated with challah bread and roasted chicken, Passover with matzah, kneidlach (matzah balls), and chicken soup. Shavuot is a cheesecake heaven, and Rosh Hashanah is unimaginable without a fish head. Hanukkah, the festival of lights and the miracle of oil, brings its own culinary treasures: soft and fluffy doughnuts (sufganiyot) and crispy, golden potato latkes.
One of my fondest childhood memories is our family breakfasts on Sunday mornings. During the week, meals were simple and quick—cereal or sandwiches. But Sundays were special—pancake day. My mom would make a variety of pancakes, from tiny, fluffy oladushki (traditional Russian pancakes) with apples to large, paper-thin blinis similar to French crêpes. Everyone in the family had their favorite, and my brother and I often competed to get mom to make ours.
During Hanukkah, however, mom always made crispy potato latkes. They were a treat, especially paired with rich, fatty sour cream—a staple in Russian cuisine. The first time I heard about eating latkes with applesauce was from my American friends. It sounded odd to me, and when I finally tried it years later, it still couldn’t replace sour cream in my book. For me, sour cream is the ultimate pairing with latkes.
Hanukkah Latkes Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds of potatoes (washed and peeled)
- 2 eggs
- 2–3 tablespoons of white flour
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Vegetable oil and butter, as needed
- Sour cream (or applesauce) to serve
Instructions:
- Grate the potatoes on a coarse grater. Place them in a colander and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Combine the grated potatoes with eggs, flour, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Heat a generous amount of oil and butter in a skillet. Once hot, drop spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the pan, leaving space between them.
- Fry for 3–4 minutes on each side on high heat. Lower the heat and cook a bit longer until the latkes are golden and firm.
- Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve with sour cream (or applesauce if you dare).
Enjoy!