Thanksgiving is extra special for some of us this year because, for the first time since 1888, the Jewish (lunar) calendar syncs up with the Gregorian calendar so that Thanksgiving falls on Hanuukah.  Experts say it won’t happen again for another 77,798 years.  So, we figured we’d better make the most of this once-in-seventy-seven-millenia coincidence.

Traditionally on Hanukah to honor the miracle of the oil in the temple, one cooks with oil and make lots of fried foods. Latkes, fried potato pancakes, are the quintessential traditional food of Hanukkah. This year, we decided to infuse them with Thanksgiving flavors and the results were delightful.

Traditionally, potato latkes are served with applesauce, sour cream or even ketchup (my father’s and brother’s preferred condiment).  While these work great with all of the above, I strongly suggest using my chipotle aioli recipe or even topping them with some cranberry sauce, to give it an extra Thanksgiving feel.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking time:  30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 large red potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into eights
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 large carrot, peeled
2 small zucchini
1 cup matzoh meal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tspn paprika
Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Put the potatoes and onion into the bowl of a food processor. Process until completely pureed.  Pour the puree into a large mixing bowl.

2.  Switch to the shredding disc and shred the sweet potato, carrot, and zucchini. Add the shreds to the potato and onion puree.

3.  Add matzoh meal, salt, pepper and paprika and mix very well with a large spoon until thoroughly combined.

4. Pour a thin layer of oil, less than ¼ inch, into a cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high.

5. When the oil is hot, take approximately ¼ cup of the batter and shape it into a ball in your hands.  Flatten this ball gently and lay it down in the oil.  Use a spatula to gently press down and flatten it some more until it is about ¼ inch thick.  Fry no more than 5 at a time to avoid crowding the pan.

6.  Fry latkes for 2-3 minutes on each side until the edges are brown.

7.  When done frying, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and allow them to drain and cool for a few minutes before serving.