This weekend marks the beginning of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. There is a tradition of eating fried foods at this time, especially latkes, or potato pancakes. Not that I wait until Hanukkah to serve them, we like them all year round. I most often serve them as a tray passed hors d’ouevre, topped with a bit of sour cream and smoked salmon and garnished with chives. It happens to be a favorite with my clients, too.  Enjoy, and Happy Hanukkah!

Potato Pancakes (adpated from The Jewish-American Kitchen by Raymond Sokolov)

• 3 large (8-9 ounce) Idaho russet potatoes
• 1 large onion, peeled
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• @1/4 cup flour (or Matzoh meal if you’re using them for Passover)
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Vegetable oil for frying
  

1. Grate the potatoes using the large holes on a box grater. With each potato grate about 1/3 of the onion to help keep potatoes from browning.
2. Transfer the grated potatoes and onions to a sieve or colander placed over a large bowl. Press out the excess mositure with a wooden spoon and transfer the potato/onion mixture to another bowl. Pour off all the liquid from the first bowl, leaving behind the potato starch  that settles on the bottom of the bowl. Scrap the starch into the potato/onion mixture.
3. Mix the beaten eggs into the potato mixture, then mix in just enough flour to make a light batter that holds together. Add the slat and pepper.
4. Heat a 1/4 inch of oil in a large frying pan. Drop a scant tablespoon of batter for hors d’ouevre sized pancakes, flattening slightly with the back of a spoon. Fry for about a minute per side. Do not fry too many at once, or the potato pancakes will not cook crisply. Drain the hot pancakes on paper towels for a minute or so before serving. They may be kept in a 200 degree oven to keep them warm, while frying the rest of the pancakes, if you like.

Makes about 40-50 1 inch pancakes