Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash Cakes With Spiced Yogurt

Makes about 3 dozen, to serving 10-12 as a side dish

This dish was inspired by Chronicle food editor Miriam Morgan's latke recipe. We decided to make them as a seasonal winter dish using sweet potatoes and butternut squash. The pancakes can be fried ahead and frozen for up to two weeks. When ready to serve, just heat in the oven at 400° to 425° for 10 to 15 minutes.

• Spiced yogurt
• 3/4 cup Greek-style yogurt
• -- Large pinch cinnamon
• -- Pinch ground cloves
• -- Pinch ground ginger
• -- Grated nutmeg to taste
• -- Honey, to taste (optional)
• Squash cakes
• 2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 3 cups grated butternut squash
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely grated
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• -- Freshly ground nutmeg to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 6 tablespoons flour + more, as needed
• -- Canola oil, for frying

For the spiced yogurt: In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and honey, if using. The yogurt can be made ahead. Refrigerate until ready to garnish the cakes.

For the cakes: Peel the sweet potatoes, then shred them in a food processor or coarsely grate by hand. Transfer them to a large mixing bowl; add the squash, onion, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and the 6 tablespoons flour. The mixture should be wet and slightly loose.

Preheat the oven to 200°. Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.

Form about 3 tablespoons of the sweet potato mixture into a loose ball. If the batter is too liquid-y to hold together, add a bit more flour. Place the ball into the sizzling oil and flatten with the back of a spatula until about 2 inches in diameter. Repeat to form several cakes, making sure not to crowd the pan.

Fry until the cakes are a dark golden brown, then turn to fry the other side, about 5-10 minutes total. Transfer to an ovenproof platter or rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. Keep warm in the oven while cooking the rest of the cakes. Pour out the oil as it darkens, wipe out the pan, and start with fresh oil every couple of batches. Add more flour, as needed, to keep batter from becoming too runny.

Serve cakes hot, topped with a dollop of the spiced yogurt.

To make ahead: Fry cakes until light golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total cooking time. Remove to paper towel-lined baking sheets and cool completely. Remove paper towels and freeze the cakes in a single layer on baking sheets until the cakes are hard. Transfer them to plastic food storage containers or plastic bags, arranging the cakes in layers between parchment. Freeze for for up to 2 weeks. To reheat, place frozen cakes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 425° until crisp and hot, about 15-20 minutes.

Per cake: 97 calories, 2 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 35 mg cholesterol, 13 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.