Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Latkes

With Chanukah just around the corner, why not try out this alternative recipe for latkes to celebrate – butternut squash and sweet potato latkes! If you’ve never made latkes before, don’t feel intimidated. They’re quite straightforward and hard to get wrong, so definitely worth a try.

You’ll need a grater or a food processor for this recipe. And you can make these latkes dairy or parev – the parmesan cheese is optional.

Time to prepare: 30-60 minutes

Difficulty: easy

Serves: approx. 30 latkes

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes
• 1 large onion
• 1 sweet potato
• 4 eggs
• ½ to ¾ cup flour
• 2 tbsp salt
• Olive oil for frying
• Optional: If you’re serving these at a dairy meal, throw in ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Dice and sauté the onion in 2 tbsp olive oil and ¼ tsp salt.
2. Peel and shred the butternut squash, sweet potatoes and potatoes.
3. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Scoop the batter using a ⅛ cup measuring cup for uniformity. Drop into the hot oil (keep the flame on medium-high). Cook until brown and firm on one side. Flip and cook for 1-2 more minutes, or until brown, on the second side.
5. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all the batter has been fried.
6. Serve fresh.

Two tips for successful latke making

1. Put a small piece of carrot in the oil. The carrot absorbs the burnt taste the oil sometimes gets. When the carrot looks dark and shrivelled, take it out and replace with a new one.
2. To make the latkes a uniform size, use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop up the batter.

With thanks to Miriam Szokovski of Chabad.org