Latkes with a Healthy Spin

In honor of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah - the celebration of the miraculous way that one day's worth of consecrated olive oil kept the Jerusalem temple lamp burning for eight days - below is a recipe for latkes.  It is a holiday tradition to fry latkes in hot oil, but in this recipe, shredded potato-and-onion pancakes get a coating of matzo crumbs, are pa-fried in a small amount of oil, and finished in a hot oven for a few minutes.  The golden-crisp results have only 4 grams of fat and 100 calories per serving.

Crispy Potato Latkes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (about 2), shredded
• 1 medium white onion, shredded
• 2 medium shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, lightly batten
• 2 pieces whole-wheat matzo (6-by-6-inch), broken into pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil, or extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Preparation

1. Toss shredded potato, onion, shallots, and salt in a medium bowl.  Transfer into a sieve set over a large bowl; let drain for about 15 minutes.  Squeeze the potato mixture, a handful at a time, over the bowl to release excess moisture (don't over-squeeze - some moisture should remain).  Transfer the squeezed potato mixture into another large bowl.  Carefully pour off the liquid, leaving a pasty white sediment - potato starch - in the bottom of the bowl.  Add the starch to the potato mixture.  Stir in the egg. 
2. Put matzo pieces in a sealable plastic bagand crush with a rolling pin into coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle the crumbs and pepper over the potato mixture and toss to combine.  Cover and refrigerate until the matzo is softened, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Stir in the potato mixture.  Cook 4 latkes per batch: place 1/4 cup potato mixture in a little of the oil and press with the back of a spatula to flatten into a 3 1/2-inch cake.  Cook until crispy and golden, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes per side.  Transfer the latkes to the prepared baking sheet.  Continue with 2 more batches, using 1 tablespoon oil per batch and reducing heat as needed to prevent scorching.  Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.  

Recipe courtesy of EatingWell.com