These latkes are perfect for a Jewish Italian family celebrating Hanukkah, or for any family that loves a good caprese salad. If you’re attending a holiday party, this is also a great recipe for sharing your Jewish culture with a colorful nod to Christmas. And dare I say that these caprese latkes are my favorite latke yet?? I thought the hatch chile latkes I made were out of this world, but it’s that roasted garlic and those charred tomatoes that win me over. Oh and the basil oil, and the burrata! All of it is perfection.

If you’re hosting a Hanukkah party, you might consider adding these gorgeous caprese latkes to the menu, maybe my ruby red beet latkes and those hatch chile and cheese latkes too. Happy Hanukkah!

Roasted Garlic Caprese Latkes

Makes 6 latkes

This makes a small batch of latkes (only 6) but can easily be doubled or tripled.

Latkes Ingredients:

• 1 garlic bulb top cut off
• 3 medium sized potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/2 shallot
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. matzo meal
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Toppings:

• 1-2 tomatoes cut into 1/2 inch slices
• Buratta cheese
• Few sprigs of fresh basil
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. First roast the garlic and tomatoes. Wrap the garlic in foil and roast at 400º Fahrenheit until very tender, about 30-4- minutes. On the same baking sheet, place tomato slices on foil lined sheet with a drizzle of oil and roast for about 30-40 minutes. Then remove from oven and allow to cool.

2. While the garlic is roasting, soak the potatoes in cold water.

3. Then shred the potatoes using either a hand grater or shred blade in a food processor and shred the shallot too.

4. Take the shreds and place a handful at a time in a clean towel and using that to squeeze as much liquid out of the potatoes as you can so they are very dry.

5. Then in a large bowl, add the potatoes and shallot, egg, matzo meal, roasted garlic (skin removed) and season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

6. Bring 1/2 inch of canola oil up to 350º Fahrenheit or until you can test it with a piece of potato and it sizzles. Then use a tablespoon to scoop latkes and carefully placing them in the oil. Use the back of your spoon to gently flatten them out. Fry for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and flip to the other side and fry for another 3 minutes.

7. Then remove the latkes onto a paper toweled lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

8. To make the basil oil, simple add chopped basil and olive oil together into a blender or small food processor and blend together. Set aside.

9. To assemble, top latkes with roasted tomato, a dollop of burrata cheese and drizzle with basil oil.

This recipe was reprinted with permission from The Little Ferraro Kitchen.

Author: Samantha Ferraro

Samantha Ferraro is the food blogger and photographer for The Little Ferraro Kitchen. Samantha comes from a diverse Jewish and multi cultural background with both Sephardic and Ashkenazi roots and has lived all over, including Brooklyn, Hawaii, Southern California and now in the Pacific Northwest. Samantha blogs about world cuisine recipes and lives in beautiful Washington with her Italian husband and adorable fluffy dog Hula and is writing her first cooking, coming out in Spring 2018. You can visit her blog over at Little Ferraro Kitchen.