A Jewish potato pancake often served at Hanukkah is called a latke.
A latke is a fried pancake or fritter associated particularly with Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. Modern potato latkes are commonly made from grated potatoes mixed with onion, egg, and sometimes matzo meal or another starch. The mixture is shaped into small patties and fried until the outside is crisp and golden.
Latkes are strongly connected with Hanukkah because they are cooked in oil, recalling the Jewish tradition that a small amount of oil in the Temple burned for eight days. They are often served with sour cream or applesauce, although customs and toppings vary between families and communities.
Potatoes were not always the main ingredient. Earlier European Jewish latkes were often made with cheese, and other versions used grains or vegetables. Potatoes became especially popular in Eastern Europe during the nineteenth century because they were inexpensive and widely available. This history explains why “latke” can refer broadly to a fritter, even though potato is now the best-known form.
A latke is not the same as kugel, a baked pudding, a knish, a filled pastry, or a blintz, a filled pancake.