The Jewish midwinter celebration of Chanukah, or Festival of Lights, remembers an ancient miracle that kept a lamp burning for 8 days with only one tiny jug of oil!
The Jewish midwinter celebration of Chanukah, or Festival of Lights, remembers an ancient miracle that kept a lamp burning for 8 days with only one tiny jug of oil! Jewish communities wisely commemorate the miraculous oil by indulging in delicious oily delicacies and fried food. The recipe for latkes originates in Eastern Europe where potatoes are a staple part of the diet. This version adds a courgettes to the mix. Complemented by cream cheese and grated beetroot, the result is a sublime, and can be served as a starter, a main meal accompaniment or as part of a buffet.
Ingredients
- 3 courgettes
- 2 large peeled potatoes
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 free range eggs
- 40g plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 120ml vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Grate potatoes, courgettes and onion on the fine side of a grater, or use a food processor.
- Strain grated potatoes, courgettes and onion through a colander, pressing out excess water.
- In a large bowl, make the batter by mixing the eggs, flour, and seasoning together to form a thick batter.
- Add the pressed vegetables to the batter mixture and mix well.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, lower the heat and place 1 large tablespoon of the vegetable batter mixture into hot sizzling oil and fry on one side for approximately 5 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and fry on other side 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Continue with remaining batter, until used up, adding more oil when necessary.
