CHEESE LATKES: Makes 15 silver dollar sized latkes.

• 1 potato Idaho small, boiled (3 -4 oz) peeled
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 lb farmer cheese
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose  flour
• 2 egg yolks large
  (see note for sweet version)
• 2 egg whites large
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar or salt
• 1/2 tsp salt (up to 1 tsp for taste)
• 1/4 tsp pepper white
• butter to fry
• coarse salt in a dish
• sour cream

 Preparation

1. In a 2 quart bowl with a flat bottom mash the hot peeled boiled potato and butter, using a hand masher. Add the farmer cheese and mash some more until uniform. Then add egg yolks and mix smooth. (When you separate the eggs, put the egg whites into a bowl large enough to beat them in. Be sure the bowl and beater are free of any grease, as it would spoil the whites for beating.) I add the yolks at this point so as to allow the cheese to cool the potato. (If you are making the sweet version, add the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla along with the flour.) Add the flour and mix smooth and uniform.
2. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, add the cream of tartar or salt, and continue beating till medium peaks.
3. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the cheese mixture to soften it. Then fold the remaining egg whites into the cheese mixture.

This should give you a mixture that is firm enough to fry. Set a non stick electric frying pan to 325 F or use a low to medium flame. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan, let it melt and cover the bottom of the pan. Drop rounded tablespoons of the batter onto the pan, using 2 tablespoons, one to lift and one to push off the dough. . It will be like a soft cookie dough that holds it shape when dropped. Let the bottom fry without touching the pancake or trying to flatten it. Take your time. When a nice skin has developed on one side, turn it over gently using a spatula and a fork, and gently pat down the top of the pancake to spread it a little. These should be the size of a silver dollar pancake (3/8" x 2"). Fry on both sides in butter. Use the first pancake as a test for seasoning. They are somewhat bland, so I suggest that you see the following note. They are also very tender, and a trifle hard to handle compared to flour or potato pancakes, but you will catch right on.

Note: Sweet version.
You can also make these sweet. Add 1-2 tablespoons sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract, and a shake or two of cinnamon after the yolks. It ruins the Judith story, but the kids will like them better.

Note: Farmer Cheese.
Farmer Cheese is a dry loaf of curds. It is dry enough to pick up in the hands, much dryer than cottage cheese. Often it is in the Deli Section instead of the Dairy Case. If you put regular (not creamed) cottage cheese in a strainer you can get some of the liquid out by pressing gently. If the mix turns out too loose, bind it with a little more flour or dry baby rice cereal.

Notes: This is an old Polish Recipe I adapted for Hanukkah. The widow Judith fed the Assyrian General cheese pancakes, that were salty, which made him drink wine, He fell asleep and she killed him, either by cutting off his head or by a stake through the heart. (Stories vary wildly, but that's the way I tell it.) This saved the Jews from certain death at the hands of the Assyrian Army. In any event, pancakes and dairy dishes are traditional at Hanukkah, and I serve some symbolic salt in a dish with the pancakes, along with sweet wine (grape juice in a wine carafe for the children). Actually these pancakes are on the bland side, and a little salt wakes them up.

Recipe Adapted by Sarah Phillips

ZUCCHINI PARMESAN LATKES: This recipe was created at the first of Mrs. Rose's sons' restaurants, 209 1/2, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This recipe appeared in the "You Asked for It" column in Gourmet magazine in 1977. Yield: 24 pancakes (P).

3. Heat 1/4 inch of peanut oil in a frying pan until it is barely smoking. Drop in the batter by tablespoons and flatten. Fry over medium-high heat several minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve.

recipes from epicurious.com

ZUCCHINI, CARROT AND POTATO LATKES:  (Serves 4)

With a hand grater, grate the zucchini. Peel the potatoes and grate. Grate the carrots. Place in a towel and squeeze out as much water as possible, then transfer to a large bowl. Add onion and garlic. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a fork and mix into the vegetables. In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, cumin and salt and pepper. Mix into the vegetables. In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil until very hot. In heaping tablespoonfuls, fry 6 pancakes. Flatten them out as they hit the pan and cook until brown and crisp. Flip to crisp the other side. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven. Serve with Mint Yogurt.

Mint Yogurt:
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped
1 pint yogurt

Mix all ingredients together.

Recipe by: Wayne Harley Brachman, TV Food Network

HERBED POTATO LATKES: 

In a food processor grate the potatoes. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and transfer potatoes to the sieve. Set sieve over a bowl, twist cheesecloth into a pouch, squeezing out some moisture. Let mixture drain for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour off liquid from the bowl but leave the white potato starch that settles in the bottom of the bowl.

To that starch add shallots, eggs, flour, 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt and freshly ground pepper. Return drained potatoes to this mixture and toss to combine.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking pan with paper towels. When you are ready to eat, in a large skillet heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium high heat until hot. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of potato mixture and cook for 3 to 4 minutes a side; latkes should be golden and crisp on both sides. Eat right away or keep warm in oven.

Adapted from a recipe by Michele Urvater, TV Food Network