Spiced Spaghetti Squash Latkes

Hannukah is so close. My daughter is already singing away her favorite holiday song, and I have "cleaning the menorah" on my to-do list. I'm eagerly anticipating Hannukah, with its warmth and meaning. The candle light permeating my home, the kids starry-eyed and hyper, the parties, the quality time, the tradition. It's festive and joyful.

Oh, and the food. It's dangerously delicious and fried. Since this year's Hannukah is well within the fall season, I decided to come up with a Spiced Spaghetti Squash Latke. The traditional fare in autumn's bounty. Thanksgivukkah, they're calling it.

I've never celebrated thanksgiving. In Canada I was simply grateful for a day off and a get together with friends. But for those outfitting their table with a turkey and all, these latkes will be suitable companions.

The flavors here are at once subtle and bold. The cinnamon adds the right amount of spice, yet the natural sweetness from the squash tames its sharpness. The almond meal gives an interesting nutty undertone that complements well the flavor profile. Fry it and you'll have the perfect latke to serve up this Hannukah.

One (major) caveat: my latkes didn't hold their shape well. The flavors here are indeed a great combo, but for some reason the patties fell apart easily. At first I thought I was flipping them too early, due to my impatience frying. But I suspect it's the almond meal, maybe not. Anyway, I ended up mashing it up and serving this as a side dish. A very worthwhile alternative if you choose to make this. Or maybe try flour or matzah meal.
 

Nonetheless, this turned out to be a delicious dish. Healthy, clean, wholesome, and tasty.

Happy Hannukah!

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Spiced Spaghetti Squash Latkes

1 large spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 eggs
1 cup almond meal
1/4 cup oil, for pan-frying

Preheat oven to 350. Roast the squash for 60-90 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Let it cool and cut in half. Scoop out the seeds and scrape with a fork, creating noodles. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium heat and cook the onions until nicely caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add the spices and stir well.

In a large bowl, combine the spaghetti squash, onion, eggs, and almond meal. Mix well. Wipe the skillet clean, and heat the 1/4 cup of oil on medium heat. Form round patties with your hand drop them gently into the oil. Fry on each side until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Serve immediately or keep warm in an oven on 275F.

Notes:

So as you know, these latkes didn't really come out as perfectly round latkes, but they did taste amazing. If you care to try, use regular flour or matzo meal instead of almond flour, they might bind better.

Or, you can also skip the eggs and just panfry the mixture and serve it as a side dish.