Today, we commemorate it all by eating fried potato pancakes called latkes.
But chef and professional Jewish sandwich slinger, Jeremy Umansky, is looking to change that.
Hes making his latkes withjustpotatoes.
This is all to say that Umansky is not shy when it comes to experimenting.
So its no surprise that hes trying to make latke sundaes a thing.
Yes, you read that right.
Heres why mixing fried potatoes with ice cream might sound a little strange on paper.
Potato latkes come out of the Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish tradition.
Ill even mix in some plantain and refried blackbeansto make a latke patacone.
However you latke, the experience is generally a savory one.
But why not go sweet?
Hanukkah falls into the They tried to kill us, we survived, lets eat category of Jewish holidays.
So truly, we can do whatever we want.
We didnt want anything else in there, he says.
No eggs, no flour, no other binders, no onion, no anything.
The reason being, potato on its own can lean savoryorsweet.
Who among us hasnt dipped a french fry into a milkshake?
Returning the latke to its simplest form unlocks the other half of the flavor spectrum.
Potato works very well, crossing over with some sweetness, says Umansky.
In other words, its hard to harmonize black pepper with chocolate ice cream.
Umansky doubles down on his sweet latke by pointing out how much latkes have evolved throughout Jewish history.
Sicilian Jews had their Hanukkah fried pancake made from fermented batter, semolina, honey, and ricotta.
Andvoila, the latke we know, lovetoday was born.
But nothing says we have to stick to that rulebook.
We can make latkes the way we want to eat them.
The only question is: What will your latke be this Hanukkah?
Remember, potatoes are full of starcha binder in and of itself.
Umansky says he uses a par-cooking technique to gelatinize the starch inside of his potatoes.
Par-cooking is a technique where you partially cook something with the intention of finishing it later.
Its popular for food prep and allows you to quickly heat something prior to serving.
Plus, he can source them locally at the Shaker Square North Union Farmers Market in the Cleveland area.
But a Carola substitute isnt a deal breaker.
Umansky stresses that you’ve got the option to use any potato you like.
The ratio he uses is one pint of schmaltz or oil to two large Carola potatoes.
But as the owner of a deli, Umansky is making a lot of latkes this time of year.
Efficiency and ease are key.
Thats why he cuts his latkes into squares.
Its easier for him at the restaurant.
At the end of the day, fried potatoes are fried potatoes.
Do whatever works for you and makes frying up your latkes a swift, smooth, and satisfying experience.
