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The Festival of Lights is officially underway.
Sunday night marked the beginning of Hannukah. As any Jewish person would say, you haven't truly celebrated Hanukkah yet until you've enjoyed your first latke.
A latke is essentially a potato pancake, cooked in oil and usually served with a side of sour cream, apple sauce or ketchup (although many Jews might give you a hard time if you go for that third option).
The method of cooking in oil is not just to get the best flavor and texture out of your latke. It's actually a nod to the story that sparked this holiday.
Evan Rossio, the Campaign Director for the Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids, helped sum up the history.
"In the year two B.C.E, or as Jews say, Before the Common Era, when they were rededicating the Second Temple, a miracle happened," he said.
During that time, the Jews faced constant oppression from the Greeks and Syrians. In fact, during the rededication, the Greeks and Syrians went through and tained every single jar of oil inside the temple. Or so they thought.
The Jews found one jar of oil that went untouched. However, there was only enough oil inside to burn for one day.
The Jews lit it anyway, and that's when the miracle happened. Instead of burning for one day, the flames lasted for eight days.
So now, the Jewish tradition is to cook food in oil during Hanukkah, including latkes.
Rossio has been perfecting his latke recipe for the last 30 years.
It only takes a few simple ingredients and steps to make one yourself. Below is everything you need to make a latke just like Rossio.
Although, as he would tell you, it's not about the recipe, it's about the technique. Watch the video at the top of this article to follow along.
- 5 large russet potatoes
- 1 medium onion
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 c matzo meal
- 2 t salt
- 1/2 t pepper
- 1/2 c canola oil, for frying