A Deliciously Unique Way To Dress Up Your Leftover Latkes
Latkes are a Jewish staple that are generally served during Hanukkah, per PBS Food. Though most tend to associate the dish with potato, the original latke was actually made from cheese, inspired by ricotta-infused Italian pancakes. The potato variety came about in the 1800s when the sturdy crop was cultivated on a massive scale as a response to Eastern European crop failures. Essentially, the modern version of a latke is a pancake made of shredded potato, which is bound with egg and flour before being fried in hot oil.
However, once Hanukkah has passed, it's possible that you'll have a surplus of potato pancakes left sitting in your refrigerator. Latkes are often served with toppings like applesauce and sour cream, but if you find yourself somewhat tired of the standard presentation, there's a way to bring your leftover latkes to the next level. This Hanukkah hack brings flavors to the table that bring the dish back to its cheese-centric roots.
Latkes make a great pizza base
With the right recipe, your leftover latkes can be transformed into a bonafide pizza party! Cookbook author Molly Yeh has created a recipe that utilizes latkes as a base for miniature pizzas (via Today). Essentially, you can set your latkes on an oven-safe tray and delicately spoon a dollop of tomato sauce on each before covering them with mozzarella cheese. You can also top each latke with whatever pizza toppings you desire. Then, it's just a matter of a short bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit and you can enjoy your unique version of the personal pizza.
Though pizza generally has a circular base of dough, there are countless other options for you to use. Per BBC Good Food, you can make pizza on pita, tortillas, or even chicken. With this in mind, why wouldn't a latke crust represent the logical next step in the evolution of pizza? TikTok user @cookingwithfranh certainly agrees. They use a large latke as the base for a pizza and then spread a sauce made of eggplant and pepper before topping it with harissa chicken and a dollop of labneh.