The competition's sizzling at this annual latke fry-off

The hissof a latke sizzling as it's lowered into hot oil is one of the classic sounds of the Hanukkah season.

And for members of Ottawa's Or Haneshamah, it's also the sound of competition heating up.

Each year, the communitypitslatkelovers against each other in a fry-off tofindthe congregation's best potato pancake.

Jerry Ritt and Hershel Kaganarethe reigning champions, and today, they shared their prize-winning recipe on CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning.

OrHaneshamah'sbestlatkesof 2017

Notes:

"The challenge with potatolatkesis to get them light, yet stick together. We use a mix which in itself isbalanced to produce a well integrated, salty,onionylatke but using it alone, the texture will be too homogenous and heavy. Adding shredded red skin potatoes (which are lower starch)makes them crisp and balances the starch, resulting in a thin, light, crisplatke."

Ingredients:

• about six smallish red-skin potatoes, peel on,
• 1 package ofManischewitz Potato Pancake Mix,
• 2 eggs,
• 525 ml of water,
• canola oil.

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry the potatoes. Grate them in a processor with the skin on. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs with a fork until blended.
3. Add water.
4. Stir in pancake mix.
5. Allow to thicken for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add grated potatoes.Stir until well blended.
7. Heat canola oil in pan, about cm thickness worth, on medium-high.
8. Add a heaping tablespoonful of your latke mix to the pan of hot oil and flatten the batter into pan.
9. Fry on medium-high for 3-4 minutes, then flip.
10. Fry the other side for 3-4 minutes. You want themsmall, crisp and thin, about the size of a small palm.
11. Set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
12. If not serving within a few hours, freeze them flat on a single layer. Once frozen, keep in a Ziplocbag in freezer.
13. To serve, place frozen latkes in oven and heat on a cookie sheet for 3 minutes at 450 degrees.

Serve them traditionally with sour cream or apple sauce.

Or at your Hanukkah party, serve them likecanaps with your favourite toppings.

Some combinations we've enjoyed are:

• Gorgonzola, brandied figs & maple pear sauce,
• Poached eggs, smoked salmon & hollandaise,
• Tahini, red pepper jelly & mint,
• Smoked salmon, wasabi cream cheese & pickled ginger,
• Roasted red pepper relish & baby arugula,
• Ricotta, orange marmalade, sea salt & poppy seeds,
• Greek yogurt, toasted walnut, chvre & pomegranate seed.