Traditional Hanukkah treat made low-fat

From Correspondent Carolyn O'Neil

(CNN) -- A traditional dish of Eastern Europe, potato latkes are probably most associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

Close to 2,000 years ago, a candle in the temple burned for eight days with only enough oil for one. During this holiday the traditional potato pancakes are cooked in oil, the symbolic link to an ancient event.

But cooking in oil adds fat to your recipe. So cookbook author Nina Simonds bakes her latkes, reducing the fat to one gram per pancake.

Start by grating (you can use a food processor) two pounds of peeled potatoes; add finely chopped onion, flour, salt, black pepper; then add one lightly beaten egg, and one egg white, and just one teaspoon of oil. Now toss it all together.

"You don't really need that much oil to get the flavor," said Simonds. "A little bit of oil helps, but it's the browning in the oven that really gives you nice potato flavor."

Place a well rounded tablespoon of the mixture onto a baking sheet and press down lightly to form a cake. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip the pancake over and bake for 5 minutes more.

"Compared to the traditional latke, (the baked latkes) probably has 1/5 the fat than the potato would absorb when you are cooking it in oil," said Simonds.

At only 1 gram of fat, and 35 calories per potato pancake, you'll have more than one reason to celebrate the holiday.

If you would like a free copy of this recipe, you can write to:

   Contemporary Cooking 
    C/O Eating Well Magazine 
    Ferry Road 
    Charlotte, Vermont 05445

Related sites:

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

• Jewish Food Recipe Archives - Chanukkah
• Epicurious Food - Hannukah
• Chanukah.com Recipes

---

 

---

Sound off on our message boards You said it...

© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

Terms under which this service is provided to you.