A recipe shared by Chef Sahar Raphael, of Cramim restaurant in Moshav Segula.
Ingredients:
(Makes 25 latkes)
100g butter
2 leeks (the white part) cut into thin slices
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into rough chunks
2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into rough cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
Leaves of 2 thyme stems
5 eggs
Flour for flouring
200g panko (Japanese breadcrumbs, which are crunchier than regular bread crumbs) / bread crumbs
Oil for frying
Directions:
1. Fry leek slices in butter until they become transparent.
2. Place cubes of potato and sweet potato on a tray. Pour a small amount of olive oil on them and add salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes.
3. Remove aluminum foil and bake for another 10 minutes (in order to evaporate excessive liquids) until the potatoes soften.
4. Mix the leek, potato and sweet potato in a bowl and mash with a fork.
5. Add thyme leaves and 2 egg yolks (save the egg whites on the side), mix until all ingredients combine. If the mixture is wet or thin, add a flour (no more than 1 tbsp).
6. Whisk the remaining eggs (together with the egg whites that were saved in step 5.) in a deep bowl. Prepare a separate plate with flour and bread crumbs.
7. Form ping-pong-sized balls of the mixture and flatten, dip them in the eggs and cover with bread crumbs on all sides.
8. Heat oil in a pan and fry until golden. It is important that the oil is hot, so that the latkes won't absorb a lot of oil and won't fall apart.
10. Serve with a refreshing green salad and sauce of your choice.
Serving suggestion:
The latkes are delicious with spicy yoghurt, which can be prepared as follows:
Mix a tub of yoghurt with 1/2 tsp Tabasco and 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of grounded black pepper.
Additional recommended sauce:
Lemon aioli
