Grandma’s Potato Latkes – Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free

This Hanukkah treat is all about the frying. It represents the magic of the oil that lit the menorah (holy candelabra) for 8 days when there was only enough oil for 1 day. There is no dairy in this dish and by using gluten-free matzo meal it’s just like my mother made. I remember grinding 10 pounds of potatoes by hand with a meat grinder, luckily today I use a food processor. For the no egg, Vegan version, check out my other recipe.

Preparation Time: 20 -30 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes a pancake/batch

Servings: 8

Ingredients

3 cups POTATOES, grated and drained well 
     About 8 medium Yukon Gold or Idaho
1 large ONION, grated 
2 EGGS, beaten
1 teaspoon SALT
1/4 teaspoon BLACK PEPPER
2 tablespoons gluten-free MATZO MEAL
1/2 cup Vegan BUTTER or other light oil for frying
Roll of PAPER TOWELS
APPLESAUCE or Vegan SOUR CREAM, optional

Directions

Using a fine or medium grater blade on your food processor,* GRATE the potatoes
DRAIN the grated potatoes really well before continuing. I put the grated potatoes in a big wire strainer over a large bowl. I then place a plate over the mixture and press down gently to express the potato starch. Get rid of as much liquid as you can. Warning: potato starch is really messy.
Using a medium grater blade on your food processor,* GRATE the onion (or finely chop if you prefer). Keep the onion juice and add to the mix for flavor.
In a large bowl, ADD the onion to the drained potatoes and mix well
BEAT the eggs and ADD to the onion/potato mixture
STIR in the seasonings and matzo meal
HEAT a small amount of the butter or oil in a large frying pan. Let it get hot
SPOON (or I use my hands and make patties so I can squeeze out any excess liquid) the mixture into the frying pan and form pancakes. I usually get 6 to 8 pancakes in the pan at a time
FLATTEN the pancakes with a spatula
FRY each pancake for about 5 minutes over medium heat, then turn over until nicely browned on both sides. (I like my latkes dark and crisp, but my spouse likes them undercooked, so it’s up to your taste how long you fry)
Layer paper towels on a plate or cookie sheet and place the cooked latkes on the paper towels to DRAIN. I make so many that I build a tower of draining latkes in paper towel tiers
Add more butter or oil as required to fry the next batch
Serve hot with applesauce or vegan sour cream

*To make latkes without a food processor, just grate the potatoes manually, chop the onions as finely as possible (or grate them too) and follow the rest of the instructions above.

This recipe was inspired by Jennie Grossinger from “The Art Of Jewish Cooking,” personally autographed to my mother in 1958 by Jennie.

Peel potatoes
Slice before grating in food processor
Grate potatoes in food processor
Add grated onion, eggs, matzo meal and spices to the potatos
FRY, FRY, FRY!
Blot on paper towels to get the oil out.

Vegan Potato Latkes

By replacing eggs with tofu, these amazing potato latkes (pancakes) are the perfect fried dish to celebrate Hanukkah. I use two frying pans to keep the production line going. People start stealing them from the plate before I ever get them to the table.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes a pancake/batch

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

3 cups POTATOES (about 8 medium Yukon Gold or Idaho), drained well
1/2 pound firm TOFU, drained well
1 large ONION
1 teaspoon SALT
1/4 teaspoon BLACK PEPPER
1 clove GARLIC, optional
2 tablespoons gluten-free MATZO MEAL
1/2 cup Vegan BUTTER or other light oil for frying
Roll of PAPER TOWELS
APPLESAUCE or Vegan SOUR CREAM, optional

Directions

Using a fine or medium grater blade on your food processor,* GRATE the potatoes
DRAIN the grated potatoes really well before continuing. I put the grated potatoes in a big wire strainer over a large bowl. I then place a plate over the mixture and press down gently to express the potato starch
Using a medium grater blade on your food processor,* GRATE the onion (or finely chop if you prefer)
In a large bowl, ADD the onion to the drained potatoes and mix well
PROCESS or MASH the tofu until it is creamy with a few lumps
ADD the tofu to the onion/potato mixture
STIR in the seasonings and matzo meal
HEAT a small amount of the butter or oil in a large frying pan. Let it get hot
SPOON (or I use my hands and make patties) the mixture into the frying pan and form pancakes. I usually get 6 to 8 pancakes in the pan at a time
FLATTEN the pancakes with a spatula
FRY each pancake for about 5 minutes over medium heat, then turn over until nicely browned on both sides. (I like my latkes dark and crisp, but my spouse likes them undercooked, so it’s up to your taste how long you fry)
Layer paper towels on a plate or cookie sheet and place the cooked latkes on the paper towels to DRAIN. I make so many that I build a tower of draining latkes in paper towel tiers
Add more butter or oil as required to fry the next batch
Serve hot with applesauce or vegan sour cream

*To make latkes without a food processor, just grate the potatoes manually, chop the onions as finely as possible (or grate them too), mash the tofu, and follow the rest of the instructions above.

This recipe was inspired by Jennie Grossinger from “The Art Of Jewish Cooking,” personally autographed to my mother in 1958 by Jennie.

Potato Latkes Crisp & Hot

Almond Paste Macaroons

I love almond anything and these traditional Italian Christmas cookies are quick and easy to make for any holiday gathering with pre-made or store-bought almond paste. At only 30 to 40 calories per cookie, who can resist eating a few? They are gluten and dairy free, and if you make them with egg replacer they can even be Vegan. Be careful not to overcook them or they turn into little rocks.

Cook Time: 20 – 30 minutes

Servings: 18

Ingredients

1 extra large EGG WHITE (Vegans can use EGG REPLACER)
1 8-ounce can ALMOND PASTE (or make 14-ounces of your own as follows)
    1-1/2 cup BLANCHED ALMONDS or ALMOND MEAL/FLOUR
    1-1/2 cup POWDERED SUGAR
    1 EGG WHITE 
       (Vegans can use EGG REPLACER, with 3 teaspoons of CORN SYRUP)
    2 teaspoons ALMOND EXTRACT
    1/4 teaspoon SALT
1/2 cup granulated SUGAR
18 MARACHINO CHERRIES, optional
18 Sliced ALMONDS, optional

Directions

If you are making your own almond paste then do it at least the night before you make the cookies because it needs to be refrigerated to firm up.
To make almond paste:
- In a food processor, GRIND the blanched almonds (or use almond meal/flour already ground)
- COMBINE the ground almonds and sugar and PULSE until well mixed
- ADD almond extract and pulse again until combined
- ADD egg whites (or egg replacer and corn syrup) and mix until it forms into a dough. If the mixture is too wet, add more sugar or almond flour
- TURN OUT onto a clean work surface, KNEAD a few times, and ROLL the dough into a log
- SPLIT the log into 2 servings (about 7-ounces each). Then WRAP each log in plastic and place in the refrigerator overnight. The dough will keep for at least a month in the refrigerator and up to six months in the freezer.
PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees F
LINE a cookie sheet with parchment paper
COMBINE almond paste (after you break it into pieces for easier blending) and sugar in food processor.
ADD egg white (or Vegan egg replacer) and mix in the food processor until the dough is sticky (2 or 3 minutes). (Note: If you chose to go the Vegan route, the cookies are not as chewy which is why you might want to add corn syrup, but it just isn’t the same as egg whites and it is hard to get the dough tacky enough.)
DROP rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
TOP cookies with either 1/2 a cherry or a sliced almond. You may have to press the cherry or almond into the cookie a little bit to make it stick.
BAKE 15 – 20 minutes on the middle shelf and then move them to the upper rack for 5-7 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown in color.
MOVE cookies and parchment paper to a cooling rack and let them completely cool before placing in airtight containers.

Inspired by the “Almond Macroons” recipe on the side of the Solofoods Almond paste box. https://solofoods.com

Green Bean Casserole – Vegan

This is my daughter’s all-time favorite and it disappears quickly. Nutritional yeast makes all the difference and you can get that at most health food stores (I get mine at the Amish Market). Don’t overfill the dish with too much sauce or it will be soupy. I undersize the casserole dish so that it sets up nicely.

Cook time: 20 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) vegan BUTTER
1/4 cup gluten-free FLOUR
1 1/2 cup vegetable BROTH
1 tablespoon gluten-free TAMARI (Soy Sauce)
1/2 teaspoon GARLIC POWDER
2 tablespoons Vegetable OIL
1/4 cup NUTRITIONAL YEAST
SALT and PEPPER, to taste
2 14.5-ounce cans French-style or Cut GREEN BEANS, drained
1 2.8-ounce can of gluten-free FRENCH FRIED ONIONS (hard to find but they do exist)

Directions

PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees F
In a medium saucepan, MELT the butter over low heat
ADD the flour and WHISK continuously until gluey
ADD the broth, tamari, and garlic powder, whisking continuously for 1 or 2 minutes, until thick and bubbly
ADD the vegetable oil and nutritional yeast. Whisk until smooth
In a small casserole dish mix the GREEN BEANS and the SAUCE so that the beans are coated. Don’t use too much sauce or it won’t set nicely
BAKE for 10 minutes
Remove from oven and SPRINKLE the French-fried onions on top
BAKE another 10 minutes, until brown and bubbly

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

Every year I try some different veggies (this year it was purple turnips and yellow beets) depending on what looks good in the market. The natural sweetness of beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes makes this an annual Thanksgiving favorite. This dish is a great alternative to the ever-present sugar and fat-laden sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows.

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Servings: About 12

Ingredients

2 cups CARROTS, peeled & sliced
1 pound BEETS, cut into 1" pieces
2 medium SWEET POTATOES, cut into 1" pieces
3 medium PARSNIPS, peeled & sliced
1 medium TURNIP, cut into 1" pieces
3 medium RED POTATOES, cut into 1" pieces
2 medium RED ONIONS, cut into wedges
5 cloves GARLIC, whole
1 tablespoon OLIVE OIL
1 tablespoon fresh ROSEMARY LEAVES, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh THYME LEAVES
1 cup VEGETABLE BROTH

Directions

HEAT the over to 425 degrees F
LINE a shallow roasting pan with aluminum foil. The size of the pan should match how many veggies you are using. I suggest a 17X11-inch
PLACE the veggies in the pan and mix with the herbs and the oil
ROAST the veggies for 30 minutes
POUR broth over the veggies and stir
ROAST another 20 minutes or until everything is tender