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Celebrate Hanukkah with latkes, Roman fried artichokes, and jelly donuts
It's Christmas Day and the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Light. People all over the world celebrate Hanukkah by lighting candles on the menorah and feasting on fried foods.
Leah Koenig, author of a number of cookbooks, including “The Jewish Cookbook," and "Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen,” shares recipes for potato latkes and other delicious Hanukkah classics with Here & Now's Scott Tong.
Hanukkah recipes
By Leah Koenig
Potato latkes
Recipe reprinted, with permission, from "The Jewish Cookbook" by Leah Koenig (Phaidon, 2019)
Serves 6 to 8
- 4lb (1.8 kg) russet potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, and patted dry
- 1 medium onion, peeled
- 2/3 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour or potato starch
- 4 to 5 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup (25 g) finely chopped fresh parsley, optional
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil (like sunflower), for fryingSour cream and applesauce, for serving
- Line two large baking sheets with several layers of paper towels, set aside.
- Grate the potatoes and onion on the large holes of a box grater. (Or, cut them into quarters and shred using the shredding blade of a food processor.) Working in batches, wrap the shredded potato and onion in a tea towel or several layers of paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Add the potatoes and onion to a large bowl along with the flour, 4 eggs, parsley, if using, salt, and pepper. Mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated. If the mixture looks dry, mix in the remaining egg.
- In a large frying pan, heat 1/4-inch (6mm) of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.
- Working in batches of 4 or 5, drop the batter by the 1/4 cup (55 g) into the pan and press gently with a spatula to flatten. Cook, flipping once, until browned on both sides and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Continue frying until all of the potato mixture is used up, adding additional oil to the pan if necessary, and adjust the heat up or down if the latkes are browning too quickly or not quickly enough.
- Transfer the cooked latkes to the paper towels to drain. Serve immediately topped with sour cream, applesauce, or both.
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Sufganiyot (Hanukkah jelly doughnuts)
Recipe reprinted, with permission, from "The Jewish Cookbook" by Leah Koenig (Phaidon, 2019)
Makes about 15 doughnuts
- 1 packet active dry yeast (21⁄4 teaspoons)
- 1⁄4 cup (50 g) plus 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) warm water (110°F/43°C)
- 2½ cups (350 g) all-purpose (plain) flour, plus more for kneading and rolling
- 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup (75 ml/) milk or non-dairy milk
- 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
- Vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl and frying
- Strawberry, raspberry, or apricot jam (not jelly), for filling
- Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the yeast, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the warm water. Let sit until the mixture is bubbling and foaming, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
2. Add the remaining 1⁄4 cup (50 g) sugar, the egg yolks, milk, and vanilla to the yeast mixture and whisk to combine. Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and begins to form a ball.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Scatter the butter pieces over the dough and knead, sprinkling with additional flour as necessary, until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 8 minutes. (The kneading can also be done in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, 5–7 minutes.)
4. Grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Form the dough into a ball, place in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1½–2 hours.
5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a wire cooling rack inside a large sheet pan. Gently deflate the dough with the heel of your hand and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a ¼-inch (6 mm) thickness. Using a 3-inch (7.5 cm) round biscuit or cookie cutter, stamp out as many dough rounds as possible and place them on the lined baking sheet. Gather the scraps, reroll, and cut out more rounds.
6. Cover the dough rounds loosely with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until puffed, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour 2 inches (5 cm) of oil into a Dutch oven (casserole) or large heavy-bottomed pot, set over medium heat, and bring to 365°F (185°C) on a deep-fry thermometer.
7. Working in batches of 4, gently add the dough rounds to the hot oil and fry, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the wire rack in the sheet pan. Let cool slightly.
8. Use a small knife to puncture the side of each doughnut to form a pocket, then use a spoon or piping bag to fill with jam. Place the filled doughnuts back on the wire rack and dust tops with confectioner's sugar. Serve immediately.
Apple fritters (mele fritte)
Recipe reprinted, with permission, from "Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome's Jewish Kitchen" by Leah Koenig (W.W. Norton, 2023)
Serves 6 to 8
For the optional vanilla sugar:
- 2 whole vanilla beans
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
For the fritters:
- 4 large baking apples, peeled
- 1½ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ cups (355 ml) milk or non-dairy milk
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Prepare the vanilla sugar, if making: Split the vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds; set the pods aside. Put the sugar and vanilla seeds in a food processor and pulse until fully combined. Transfer the sugar to a glass jar, add the reserved pods, cover tightly, and set aside. (The sugar can be used right away, but the flavor will develop over time. It can be stored, tightly covered, for up to 1 year.)
- Prepare the fritters: Using an apple corer (or a melon baller or sturdy metal teaspoon), carefully remove the apple cores and discard. Slice the apples into ½‑inch- thick rings and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the milk and whisk until smooth.
- Heat ½ inch of oil in a large frying pan over medium until shimmering. Line a large plate with paper towels and set nearby.When the oil is hot, working in batches of 4 to 5, dip the apple rings into the batter, let the excess drip off, and carefully slip them into the oil. Fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the paper towel – lined plate to drain.
- Sprinkle the fritters generously with vanilla sugar (or more granulated sugar) while still hot and serve immediately.
Simpler fried artichokes with herbed salt
Recipe reprinted, with permission, from "Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome's Jewish Kitchen" by Leah Koenig (W.W. Norton, 2023)
Serves 4 to 6
For the optional herbed salt:
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the artichokes:
- Two 14-ounce cans artichoke hearts, drained and halved lengthwise
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Kosher salt or Herbed Salt, for topping
- Make the herbed salt, if using: Add the rosemary, oregano, lemon zest, and salt to a small bowl and rub the ingredients together with your fingertips to combine. Set aside.
- Make the artichokes: Line a large baking sheet with paper towels or a clean dish towel and lay the drained quartered artichoke hearts in a single layer on top. Top with a second layer of paper towels or dish towel and gently pat the artichokes dry. Allow them to dry like this for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Heat 1-inch of oil in a medium saucepan or pot set over medium heat until it reaches 350˚F (180˚C). Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
- Working in batches of 4 or 5, gently slip the artichoke hearts into the oil. Fry until deeply golden brown and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer the fried artichokes to the paper towel-lined plate to drain for a couple of minutes. Then transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with a little salt or the herbed salt, if using. Serve immediately. (Any leftover herbed salt can be stored and sprinkled over popcorn, baked fish, or roasted vegetables.)
This segment aired on December 25, 2024.