One of the wonderful things about the Jewish culture is its rich culinary tradition. Recipes are lovingly passed down from generation to generation, so that every family seemingly has its own variations on the same common themes. Latkes, or fried potato pancakes, are the traditional food of Hanukkah. (Who doesn’t love a holiday dedicated to foods fried in oil? You’re also obligated to eat jelly donuts. Yum!) Now I’m only Jewish-by-marriage, so my basic potato latke recipe actually comes from a little Chanukah book my mom bought at Crate and Barrel one year. But hey, it works! Now I know better than to tinker with classics, and I always make a plain white potato latke. But I like to add sweet potato latkes sometimes too, and these ones are gussied up a bit more with a little carrot and ginger. You could add parsnip or really any other root vegetable you have on hand. Enjoy these for Chanukah or just breakfast this weekend.

Happy Chanukah!

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup matzo meal (or flour)
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• oil for frying (I use peanut oil)

Instructions: Peel and grate the potatoes and carrots, then place in a large bowl. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl, then add to the shredded vegetables. Add matzo meal (or flour), ginger and salt and stir until just combined. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Drop sweet potato mixture by heaping tablespoon full into the oil. Cook until edges appear crisp, then flip and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Outsides should be golden and crisp. Remove and place on paper-towel lined plate to drain. Serve warm, with homemade applesauce. Enjoy!

On the eight day of Chris[mukkuh] …

… a flashback to Hanukkah latkes. Yum!

As mentioned previously, I’m hosting this week’s Presto Pasta Nights round-up. Hanukkah starts this weekend, so it’s only fitting to share a traditional Jewish kugel (noodle casserole) for the holiday edition of PPN. I am the non-Jewish spouse in our family, so I didn’t have the benefit of family recipes when learning how to prepare all the requisite holiday dishes. On the flip side, my mother-in-law is not a big cook so I had some freedom in not having to make dishes exactly the way my husband had always had it. Sweet noodle kugel has been one my favorite dishes to experiment with, probably because it appeals to my pasta-loving Italian roots. I did learn a trick from a friend who did have a Jewish grandmother, which is to blend the sauce ingredients before mixing them into the noodles to eliminate the graininess of the cottage cheese. I often serve this with brisket for dinner, but it also makes a great brunch dish for Hanukkah or Christmas (or Chrismukkah!) – it can be made ahead and served warm or cold.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. wide egg noodles
• 1 pound cottage cheese
• 1 pound sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 ounces dried cherries

Topping:

• 1 cup crushed corn flakes
• 1/2 cup grated unsweetened coconut
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions: Bring pot of water to a boil and cook noodles for 2 minutes less than recommended time, drain. Meanwhile, combine cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla in blender or food processor until smooth. Combine with noodles and cherries and pour into lightly oiled 9 x 12 baking dish. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over noodles. (Omit brown sugar if using sweetened coconut.) Bake 45 minutes, until top is golden. Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting. Great the second day, straight from the fridge or reheated. Makes 12 servings. Enjoy!

To submit a favorite pasta recipe for Presto Pasta Nights, send me an email at foodietots at gmail dot com. Check back for the round-up Friday afternoon!