Latkes with Farmer Cheese

Latkes with Farmer Cheese

Latkes with Farmer Cheese, Two Ways

Sweet with Pomegranate Arils
and
Savory with Fresh Herbs

Happy Hanukkah!

A jug of olive oil, which held enough oil to last for one day, burned for eight when the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated. So we eat foods fried in olive oil to commemorate that ancient miracle. As far as symbolic foods go, potatoes fried in oil are pretty much everyone’s favorite.

This year I’m serving my latkes two ways, sweet and savory, both topped with farmer cheese. My favorite, Lifeway Farmer Cheese, is a cultured soft cheese made from an old world recipe with a distinctive tangy flavor, and it’s packed with probiotics to boot. You might say farmer cheese and latkes are a match made in heaven…

Latkes with Farmer Cheese

Latkes with Farmer Cheese

Latkes Two Ways

Savory Latkes with Farmer Cheese and Herbs

Latkes

  • 1 large russet potato
  • 1/4 medium sweet onion
  • flour
  • kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 1 beaten egg

Use a food processor medium shredding disc to shred potato and onion. Remove the potato mixture from the food processor, one handful at a time. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible by hand. Alternatively, place a handful of potato mixture in a tea towel and twist to wring out the liquid. Place each handful into a large bowl.

Toss with enough flour to very lightly coat the mixture. Add Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Lastly add one beaten egg to bind the mixture. Toss to combine.

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add oil (we like California Olive Ranch Avocado Oil Blend for high heat cooking) to generously cover the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, add mounds of the potato mixture.  This recipe makes about 7 latkes. For the lacy effect, don’t compact the batter or press down on the latkes. Adjust the heat to medium to medium-high. When the bottom of each latke is nicely golden, flip and brown the other side. Be sure to monitor the heat to get a golden exterior while cooking the interior completely. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with a bit of Kosher salt while hot.

Latkes with Farmer CheeseTopping

  • farmer cheese
  • chives
  • dill
  • edible flowers (optional)

To serve the savory version, place latkes on a platter. Top each with a spoonful of farmer cheese. Scatter chopped chives and chopped dill over the latkes.

Optionally, garnish with edible flowers. These violas have a subtle sweet-vegetal flavor. While edible, they are used here mostly for show.

Latkes with Farmer Cheese

Sweet Latkes with Farmer Cheese and Pomegranate Arils

Latkes

  • 1 large russet potato
  • flour
  • kosher salt (not too much)
  • 1 beaten egg

Sweet Farmer Cheese

  • 1 c. farmer cheese
  • 3 T. powdered sugar
  • 1 t. grated orange rind
  • pinch of salt

Use the above ingredients to make the latkes in the same manner as the savory recipe but with no pepper and no onion.

Meanwhile, mix farmer cheese ingredients in a small bowl.

  • pomegranate arils
  • powdered sugar (optional)

Place latkes on a platter. Top latkes with a spoonful each of sweet farmer cheese. Scatter pomegranate arils over the latkes. Optionally, top with powdered sugar.

Latkes with Farmer Cheese

Latkes with Farmer Cheese

“She mixed it, she fixed it, she poured it into a bowl
You may not guess, but it was the latkes, that gave brave Judah a soul.”

More Farmer Cheese

Heavenly Farmer Cheese Blintzes recipe here.

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