Sweet Potato Fritters with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

​I have fond memories of potato pancakes growing up, smothered in applesauce or sour cream.  Lately, I have come to really enjoy sweet potatoes, so the marriage of the two in this recipe caught my eye.  The lemon-tahini sauce is a bit more of a time-consuming preparation than the plain old sour cream or applesauce. We have topping options in my household, as my kids prefer the simpler toppings, but the creamy punch of the L-T sauce makes for an excellent dish. 

 Ingredients: 
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and grated
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
oil for frying (vegetable is best)

Instructions:
Make the sauce: Whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and 1/2 tsp of salt into a small bowl and set aside.

In a large colander (over a bowl or the sink) add the shredded potatoes and 2 tsp salt.  Toss to combine and let stand for at least 10 minutes.  Squeeze out the excess liquid, then transfer to a large bowl.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon over medium.  Add the leaks and a pinch of salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.  Add the leeks, eggs, flour, cumin, turmeric, and ginger to the potato mixture and stir until evenly combined.

Cover your skillet with oil and heat over medium until shimmering.  Working in batches, spoon batter for each fritter into the skillet and flatten with a spatula.  Cook until golden and getting crisp, 2-5 minutes per side.  Transfer the fritters when done to a paper towel over a plate to drain the oil.  Add more oil to the skillet between batches if needed.

Serve with lemon-tahini sauce, apple sauce, plain yogurt or sour cream.

​Enjoy!

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