Luscious Latkes

No matter what your traditional holiday dinner menu dictates, you can't go wrong with these easy-to-make potato delicacies. Serve these hot with a side dish of homemade applesauce.

Level: Moderately difficult

Time involved: One to two hours

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 potatoes
• 1 small onion
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup flour or matzoh meal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Vegetable or peanut oil (approximately 1 cup)

Equipment:

• Colander
• Paper towels
• Mixing bowl
• Food processor
• Spoon
• Large griddle or frying pan

1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into quarters and grate them in a food processor, one potato at a time, until finely grated.

2. Put the grated potatoes in a large colander lined with heavy-duty paper towels. Drain the excess moisture from the potatoes and remove them to a large mixing bowl.

3. Place the onion in the food processor and chop finely. Add to the potato mixture. Add two beaten eggs, flour, and salt and pepper to the mixture, and mix well with a spoon.

4. Cover the bottom of a large frying pan or griddle with vegetable oil (to about 1/2-inch deep). Heat on medium-high until a drop of water sizzles in the oil. (While you're waiting for the oil to heat, you might want to ask your kids if they know what oil symbolizes in the Hanukkah celebration.)

5. Spoon the potato mixture into the pan and flatten it to form pancakes.

6. Fry the pancakes on each side for approximately four minutes or until golden brown. Try to flip them only once to keep them from getting too greasy.

7. Remove the pancakes from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with sour cream and/or applesauce.

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Holiday Crafts © 2002 by Marilee LeBon. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

To order this book visit the Idiot's Guide web site or call 1-800-253-6476.