These savory squash pancakes are a lighter variation on the traditional Jewish potato latkes and a favorite at Moosewood. Because the demand for them is high and we need to be ready when the orders come rolling in, we prebake the latkes and then finish them off quickly on the stovetop. The baked latkes are firm and cooked through, and then it takes only a couple of minutes in a hot skillet with a small amount of oil to crisp the outside.
For lunch, we serve latkes with sour cream or yogurt and a side of applesauce. Smaller latkes make a nice appetizer. This recipe is gluten-free.
Yields 12 latkes
Serves 4 to 6
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Total time: about 1 hour
1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
1 medium Spanish onion
3 large eggs, beaten
¼ cup minced fresh sage leaves
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup brown rice flour
Vegetable oil or olive oil, for pan-frying
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Peel and seed the squash. Using the grater blade of a food processor, grate the squash and the onion. You should have about 6 cups of grated squash and about ¾ cup of grated onions. Drain in a colander, squeezing the mixture by hand or with the back of a spatula to remove excess moisture. In a bowl, thoroughly mix the drained squash and onions with the eggs, sage, salt, pepper, and brown rice flour. Add more flour if the mixture seems watery.
Using a ⅓-cup measure, scoop the batter. Drop the batter for 6 latkes, evenly spaced out, on each lined baking sheet. Flatten each latke somewhat with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for 12 minutes, flip the latkes, and bake for another 12 minutes.
When ready to serve, heat a small amount of oil in a cast-iron skillet or griddle on high heat. Sear both sides of each baked latke until lightly brown, a minute or less per side, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Serve right away, hot from the skillet.
Serve with yogurt or sour cream and applesauce and/or Za’atar Yogurt and Cucumber Salad. At the restaurant, we often serve them with Jason’s Fresh Fennel and Apple Slaw. Beetroot Sticks are nice, too.