Sweet potato pancakes 🍠

Happy holidays, y'all! Whatever you're celebrating, may it be a joyous time, filled with love and laughter. And latkes!

"Latkes" are the Yiddish word for fried potato pancakes. In Hebrew the word is "levivot", but god forbid we should simplify with just one name.  Jewish folks gobble them up during Hannukah at breakneck speed. We aren't a nation known for our metabolism😂, so there's definitely some damage control to be done after eight days of wolfing down giant tater tots, but so what.  A few extra cardio sessions is worth this annual yumminess.

The idea behind these deep fried treats is to commemorate the miracle of how a days worth of oil stretched to eight days. While the Jewish ancient holy temple was being desecrated and destroyed, the prolonging of the ability to use the oil to light the temple's menorah was a symbol of light and hope. Which is why each Jewish family lights their own menorah to this day. We light at a window to proudly publicize the Jewish victory and endurance throughout history. Say what you want about Jews, but we are survivors. Whatever your ethnicity, I hope it fills you with pride. Not exclusivity and superiority, but pride indeed.

Traditional latkes are made with regular Idaho potatoes. There are more recipes out there for that kind than all the Bubbies in the world would know what to do with. I was determined to create a variation on this classic, one that can be enjoyed on its own, having nothing to do with a holiday. I was aiming for increased sophistication as well, something that could be served objectively as a lovely party appetizer. I wanted to include present, yet not too strong , fresh ginger. Diced green scallions add a pop of color. I was thrilled with how these turned out. This JESScipe makes a lot to feed a crowd, so lessen the measurements if need be. Or increase! Just know you'll want to 🔫yourself after hours of frying. You'll feel like SpongeBob SquarePants, fry cook extraordinaire of Bikini Bottom. Personally, my loyalty has always been to Squidward.

You can make these bite size or larger, depending on what makes sense for your mood and menu. Bite size is great in a cocktail setting, larger as a side at a sit down meal. Served best with my JESScipe for homemade applesauce, please scroll down in Food to locate. It's my Bubbie Shirley's applesauce, and it's always a massive hit. Serve it on the side or put little dollops in the middle of each latke. Cute plating idea: give each guest a plate of latkes with a small bowl of sauce that they can dip themselves. Fantastic appetizer. Have extra napkins on hand, this is not the neatest of foods, though it's amongst the most delicious. The miracle here is to not eat all of them yourself😄.     

You are a miracle. Your life is a miracle. You are a source of light to at least a few people on this planet. Enjoy yourself. ✨✨✨ Lots of Latke Love, She.

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups grated sweet potato. Don't be a martyr; use a food processor. One large sweet potato equals 2 cups. The ones I bought were mammoth and seemed to have been injected with growth hormone shots.

Cup and a half finely chopped scallions, green parts.

I tbsp plus 1 tsp EACH kosher salt and fresh packed grated ginger.

2 and a half tsp fine ground black pepper.

5 eggs.

1/2 cup flour.

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all. Make full tbsp of the mixture and flatten. Fry in canola or vegetable oil, turning gently when lightly browned on each side. Experiment with how many minutes this takes. Should be a couple on each side. You've got plenty to test out, so freak not if the first few fall apart. Top with finely chopped scallions or chives to garnish with a dash of green. EN. JOY.