A Time of Miracles--Hanukkah

Here's a great potato latke recipe that's also simple to make.

2 large potatoes

1 medium onion

1 large egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons matzo meal

Grate the potatoes either by hand or in a food processor, using a grating disk. Once the potatoes are grated, rinse them in cold water to remove the starch. Then place them in a square of cheesecloth and squeeze out all the moisture.

Add chopped onion to the grated potatoes. Mix in the egg, baking powder and matzo meal. Form into patties and fry in oil (olive oil or canola oil work well) until golden brown. Serve immediately with applesauce and/or sour cream.

Here's an Israeli recipe by Joan Nathan, author of many Jewish foods cookbooks, for sufganiyot.

1 package dry yeast

4 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup lukewarm milk or warm water

2-1/2 cups flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter or pareve (kosher) margarine, softened

apricot or strawberry preserves

sugar

vegetable oil for deep-frying

Mix together the yeast, 2 tablespoons of sugar and the milk. Let sit to make sure it bubbles.

Sift the flour and mix it with the remaining sugar, salt, cinnamon, egg yolks and the yeast mixture. Knead the dough until it forms a ball. Add the butter or margarine. Knead dough again, until the butter is well absorbed. Cover with a towel and let rise overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Cut out the dough into 24 rounds with a 2-inch biscuit cutter or juice glass. Take 1/2 teaspoon of preserves and place in center of 12 rounds. Top with the other 12. Press down at edges, sealing with egg whites. Crimping with the thumb and second finger is best. Let rise for about 30 minutes.

Heat 2 inches of oil to about 375 degrees. Drop the doughnuts into the hot oil, about 5 at a time. Turn to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Roll the doughnuts in sugar. Eat.

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