Sweet Potato Cakes from Ottolenghi’s “Plenty”

After I made the Endive with Sweet Potatoes, Bacon, Chives, and Sour Cream a week ago, I still had one uncooked sweet potato left over.  So, I cracked open Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook “Plenty”, for which I’d been at a book signing last week, and started reading the directions.  I had the pleasure of eating at his Notting Hill restaurant when I was in London earlier this year, thoroughly enjoyed it, and wanted to try my hand at making one of his recipes at home.

  

Not having any fresh red chile available, as they can be a bit tricky to find fresh in my neighborhood, I substituted a pinch of dried red chile flakes.  This didn’t give it quite the kick that I can imagine the fresh pepper would do, but it had a wonderful flavor all the same.  Using butter, with a splash of olive oil, gave the cakes a nice crisp exterior that contrasted with their soft interior, like with pancakes or latkes.  The yogurt dip was a cool and creamy counterpart with a pop of tartness that gave the dish a bit of zing.

I used one large sweet potato and cut the recipe in half.  This gave me 8 potato cakes.  During the summer months, I tend to eat more vegetarian, and this seemed like a perfect dish to make for a quick snack or, as it ended up being for me, lunch.  I can totally see why these were a favorite cafe snack during Ottolenghi’s university days.  They even tasted good reheated and eaten the next day.  If I didn’t have to make them myself in order to have them, I could see them as an integral part of my regular diet, too!

Buon appetito!

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