In memory of Grandma Sarah and Grandpa Matityahu: Omar Miller's Pancakes

Omar Miller in a special column for Hanukkah, dedicated to the late grandmother Sarah who taught him to love potato pancakes, and to the late grandfather Matityahu who was born just in the third candle for Hanukkah, 111 years ago.

And there’s a bonus too - three amazing pancake recipes

Omar Miller

29/11/2021

Monday, 29 November 2021, 10:48 Updated: Tuesday, 30 November 2021, 11:55

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Susu & sons (Photo: Dror Einav)

I love pancakes. The truth? I prefer one quality pancake over a million colored donuts. There's something about their uncompromising crunch, the devotional blessings, the frying smells, the endless array of flavors - that makes me addicted. By the way, in my house pancakes are not just for Hanukkah. They are piled on the counter in the kitchen even on hot summer days or when the sky outside is raining down on us, and just like that on a weekday. Sweet potato or corn pancakes, broccoli or carrots, each vegetable becomes a class with zero effort - a colorful, stimulating and stunning pancake.

My late grandmother Lebracha always said that for her heart it is potatoes and everything else is eggshells. My grandmother was not exactly a culinary puritan and was even ahead of her time, but when it came to pancakes she was adamant not to deviate an inch from the rules of the fried pancake of the last few centuries.

As a kid I was maybe a little different from a lot of other kids, I loved to eat. Not for nothing, I really liked to eat, everything. From coagulated leg through gefilte to leg soup in the Yemenite vineyard or whatever you imagine. I was a kid who just wants to eat everything from everything (and conquer the world but that's already for another column).

Why am I telling you about my grandmother? The reason is really very simple: because although I loved everything and without a break, the potato pancake always seemed to me like a strange dish on which there is no point in spoiling the joy of chewing and beating. The late Grandma Sarah was a very smart and advanced woman. She loved to cook and more loved to watch us like a creepy stoker when we ate in front of the TV (Grandma lived in Ramat Gan, so during the summer vacation I would settle there for at least a month because she had cables and in those years The invention called television.) Anyway, when Grandma realized that there was a suspicion of the potato pancake on the part of the grandson (her favorite should be noted), she converted the potato grater from the thin grater to the thick one. "Matityahu" : "Grate the potatoes on the thick" is my free translation.

Grandpa Mati would dry out, peel meaty potatoes, hum slowly and then grate on the thick. Grandma went up with a pile of potato pancakes on absorbent paper to the living room, "Come on, Zisla" turned to me "I made you French fries. It's Grandpa grated. On the thick. French fries like in Europe. " And I, a mesmerized kid in front of a screen, fell for the tricks and sticks from the bottom of Grandma's trick drawer and started eating French fries one after the other, unaware that every bite brought me closer to a criminal addiction to the tastiest pancakes there is (with red horseradish or sour cream and smoked salmon or even puree apples).

The second reason is already related to the past decade. I'm already a grown boy. A young man at the beginning of his life. I landed in Greece for the seeds of the pampering zucchini pancake. The world opened up and swallowed itself with excitement. I knew I had to make pancakes like that for the stubborn Grandma Sarah. Indeed, when I returned to Israel a few days later, I went to Ramat Gan just to make Grandma the zucchini pancakes. I soiled the kitchen with flour and zucchini for the lady on all sides. And there are countless flavors that are a dream.

I failed.

"A pancake is a potato or a patty of French fries. Do not bring me a fried zucchini salad. "Happy holiday, my beloved late grandmother Sarah and my dear late grandfather Matityahu (born in 1910 in the third candle of Hanukkah). Shalom Aleichem once said:" Pancakes in a dream are a dream and not pancakes. "But how about pancakes that are a dream?

More on Walla!

All the recipes you need for Hanukkah are here

To the full article

Mashed potatoes and truffles

Recipe By: Omar Miller

• ★

• ★

• ★

• ★

• ★

• 10 minutes work

• 20 minutes total

• Easy to prepare

• 15 units

• Eastern European

• vegetarian

• Recipes for Hanukkah

• fur

• vegetables

• kosher

Mashed potatoes and truffles (Photo: Omar Miller)

Ingredients

• • 8 peeled potatoes

  • 2 eggs

  • 1-2 tablespoons truffle oil

  • Salt

• For the conversion table, click here>

Preparation

How to make mashed potatoes and truffles?

• 1 Cook the potatoes in a pot with water and a little salt until softened, strain all the water and pass the potatoes through a fine sieve to get a smooth texture.

• 2 Cool the mashed potatoes and add salt, eggs and truffle oil.

• 3 Heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry in a test pancake to check the stability and taste.

• 4 Make pancakes and fry for about 2 minutes on each side until golden, remove and place on absorbent paper.

• 5

  Serving suggestion:

  Sour cream or whipped cream will come perfect.

Vegetable pancakes

Recipe By: Omar Miller, Walla!

Food

• ★

• ★

• ★

• ★

• ★

• 10 minutes work

• 20 minutes total

• Easy to prepare

• 12 units

• vegetarian

• Recipes for Hanukkah

• fur

• vegetables

• kosher

Vegetable pancakes (Photo: Omar Miller)

Ingredients

• • 2 coarsely grated zucchini

  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled, coarsely grated

  • 1 large white onion, peeled and coarsely grated

  • Chopped parsley

  • Chopped green onion

  • ½ Chopped dill

  • ½1 American celery cups

  • 3 eggs

  • 5 tablespoons flour

  • Salt

  • Ground black pepper

• For the conversion table, click here>

Preparation

How to make vegetable pancakes?

• 1 Squeeze the zucchini, onion and potatoes to drain the excess liquid.

• 2 Add the rest of the ingredients, mix and season.

• 3 Heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry in a test pancake to check the stability and taste.

• 4 Make pancakes and fry for about 2 minutes on each side until golden, remove and place on absorbent paper.

• 5

  Serving suggestion:

  It is recommended to serve with a wonderful lemon tahini (and some hot pepper on the side).

Zucchini, almond and mint pancakes

Recipe By: Omar Miller

• ★

• ★

• ★

• ★

• ★

• 10 minutes work

• 20 minutes total

• Easy to prepare

• 10 units

• Greek

• Recipes for Hanukkah

• vegetables

Zucchini pancakes (Photo: Omar Miller)

Ingredients

• • 3 dark green zucchini, coarsely grated

  • 4 light green zucchini, coarsely grated

  • ½ Chopped chickpeas

  • 2 eggs

  • ½ Greek feta cheese cheese

  • Roasted almonds (matches)

  • 4-5 tablespoons sifted flour

  • Salt

  • Ground black pepper

• For the conversion table, click here>

Preparation

How to make zucchini, almond and mint pancakes?

• 1 Squeeze the zucchini and zucchini to drain the excess liquid.

• 2 Add the rest of the ingredients, mix and season.

• 3 Heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry in a test pancake to check the stability and taste.

• 4 Make pancakes and fry for about 2 minutes on each side until golden, remove and place on absorbent paper.

• 5

  Serving suggestion:

  Most equal with tzatziki on the side.

• Food

• Cooking

Tags

• recipe

• Fritters

• Hanukkah

• Omar Miller