Taglit Birthright Israel Meat Latkes

This Meat Latke recipe was submitted by Olesya Gorshenina and is included in “Israel to Go” a pocket culinary tour published by Taglit-Birthright Israel. The cookbook features 20 specially selected recipes derived from the spice pallet and foods native to the Mediterranean to chronicle the exotic cultural experience offered to Taglit-Birthright Israel trip participants. All recipes are designed to be easy for the home-cook to follow. Taglit-Birthright Israel sends Jewish adults between the ages of 18 to 26 on a free 10-day trip to Israel to strengthen each participant’s Jewish identity and build a lasting bond with the land and people of Israel. Since its inception, more than 350,000 Jewish young adults have taken part in Taglit-Birthright Israel from more than 65 countries, all 50 U.S. states and from nearly 1,000 North American college campuses. For more information, visit www.birthrightisrael.com/

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  onion, minced
• 1  egg
• 2  garlic cloves, diced
•  salt and black pepper (to taste)
• 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 1 1⁄2 lbs minced beef or 1 1⁄2 lbs  minced chicken
• 3 -4  potatoes
•  oil (for frying)

• cucumber and greens

•  lettuce
•  dill
•  parsley (to garnish)

Directions

1. Mix the minced meat with the egg, onions and garlic.
2. Add the spices and form mixture into patties.
3. Peel potatoes, grate, and add salt.
4. Roll the potatoes into balls. Each Latke requires two potato balls and a meat cutlet.
5. Flatten the potato balls with a fork or spoon and put a patty of meat between each pair.
6. Fry each potato and meat latke until golden brown on both sides.
7. Serve on lettuce leaves and garnish with cucumber and herbs.