Blogerim

Latkes

Ingredients

In Hebrew they are called Levivot, their Yiddish name is Latkes. For Hanukkah they are served with applesauce or sour cream; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Franziska Schurr

• 6 medium-large potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 2 eggs
• 60 g of flour
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Applesauce
• Sour cream

Instructions

Finely grate the potatoes and onion. Drain the mixture in a sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the eggs, the flour, salt and pepper, and mix until the flour is absorbed. Heat the oil in the pan. Pour the dough into the hot oil one tablespoon at a time and fry for about two minutes. When the edges of the latkes are brown and crispy, flip. Cook until the second side is deeply browned. Drain on kitchen paper. Place the latkes on a serving plate and keep warm in the oven. Serve warm with applesauce and the optional sour cream.

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Last year’s “8 Facts” about the Jewish Feast of Dedication already provided you with detailed knowledge about Hanukkah.

But do you know whether to put the candles from left to right or from right to left into the hanukkiah and from which side you should start lighting the candles? Find out now with one of the most beautiful genres – the explanatory film:

Hanukkah candelabrum in the glass courtyard of the museum, still without candles; photo: Julia Katja Jokel

Hanukkah is just around the corner, which is why in some households a menorah is standing ready—ideally, in front of the building or in the window for all to see, as is the custom. Those celebrating this eight-day-long holiday will light the first of eight candles tonight. Tomorrow, the second one will be lit, and so on—every evening one more is lit than the evening before.

From December 12 to 19, there will also be a small ceremony in the Jewish Museum’s Glass Courtyard with candle-lighting and music. Anyone who would like to come is warmly invited to take part today at 4 p.m. Further information can be found on the museum’s website.

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, and the miracle associated with it. Today we can’t expect a true miracle, but there are some pretty marvelous things in our collection and from the World Wide Web that we would like to show you. Have a look!

Happy Hanukkah and chag sameach!