Latkes With Sweet or Savory Toppings by Jake Cohen

It's impossible not to love a good latke. These potato pancakes are crispy on the outside and soft and supple on the inside, making Hanukkah the most delicious time of year. We wanted an expert dream up their ideal latke with some not-so-traditional toppings, so we called Jake Cohen, Food and Drinks Editor at Time Out and self-proclaimed "good Jewish boy." Jake was kind enough to give us his personal latke recipe, along with a sweet topping of gjetost (a sweet Norwegian cheese) and caramelized apples and a savory topping of lemon horseradish ricotta. Give the applesauce and sour cream a break this year, and wow your guests with one of these tasty combos. The latke recipe makes 10 potato pancakes, and each topping makes enough for 10 latkes—if you want to make both toppings, double the latke recipe.

Featuring

prep time
15minutes
assembly time
15minutes
Serves
5people

preparation & ingredients

16 oz. russet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and quartered

1/2 yellow onion

1/4 cup matzo meal

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 large eggs

Vegetable oil, for frying

1/4 cup orange juice

3 Tbsp. Mieli Thun Millefiori Wildflower Honey

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 large Honeycrisp apples, cored and chopped

10 slices Ski Queen Gjetost cheese

Red Bee Honey Comb, for garnish

1 cup Calabro Fresh Ricotta

2 Tbsp. freshly grated horseradish

2 Tbsp. Murray's Italian EVOO, plus more for garnish

1 tsp. lemon zest

Kosher salt, to taste

Dill fronds, for garnish

For the latkes: Using a food processor fitted with the coarse grating attachment, grate the potatoes and onion. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl lined with cheesecloth and wring out thoroughly in cloth to squeeze out any liquid. Discard liquid, then return the vegetable mixture to the bowl and toss with the matzo meal, eggs, and salt until completely incorporated. Heat ¼-inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, scoop ⅓-cup balls of latke mixture and drop into pan. Using a flat spatula, smash the latkes to flatten. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden, flipping once, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

For the apple & gjetost topping: In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, honey, salt, and apples over medium heat. Cook until the apples are soft and the liquid has reduced into a syrup, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Top latkes with one slice gjetost cheese, a spoonful of the cooled apples, and a piece of honeycomb, then serve.

For the lemon horseradish ricotta topping: In a small bowl, whisk the ricotta, horseradish, olive oil, lemon zest, and salt until smooth. Spoon the ricotta over each latke and drizzle each with a little olive oil. Garnish with dill fronds, then serve.