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Sometime last spring (when all of the good Hanukkah R and D happens), I was knee deep in latke brainstorming when my extremely cool friend Natasha<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>texted me a picture of Erin\u2019s cheesy potato pancake<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>with the commentary \u201comg, pizza latke.\u201d To which the only proper response was, \u201comg, let\u2019s.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Because omg <\/em>what is better than a crispy fried potato pancake that is topped with melty gooey cheese-pull cheese??? <\/em>Or if you look at it the other way, what is better than a pizza that basically has a hash brown crust??? Potato, potahto, it was inevitable. We make matzo pizza on Passover pizza Friday, why have we not made pizza latkes on Hanukkah pizza Friday? Dang it, they are so freaking good. I can\u2019t stop eating them. The fact that they\u2019re handheld and small and easy to eat in multiples of four doesn\u2019t make things any easier. My only regret is that Natasha and I never crossed paths for long enough to make these together because she lives in LA-slash-Barcelona.\u00a0One day!!!! <\/p>\n A great added bonus about these is that because they get cooked twice (fried in a pan, then topped with toppings, and then stuck in the oven so that the cheese melts), you have a fairly easy solution to the thing I always whine about, which is having to stand at the stove for the entire Chrismukkah party, tending to the latkes. With these, just make all of your latkes ahead of time, put them on a baking sheet, top with toppings, and keep them in the fridge for up to a day before your party. And then stick them in the oven before the party and pull out a steaming hot tray of latkes! They won\u2019t be as crispy as a freshly fried latke, but no one will care because they\u2019ll be covered in cheese.<\/p>\n That\u2019s all I have to say about pizza latkes but since we\u2019re on the subject of latkes, I have to tell you about the Ultimate Hanukkah Challenge<\/em>!! It is (Food Network\u2019s first??) Hanukkah-themed cooking competition and I got to host it and judge alongside Duff Goldman and Sharone Hakman!!! You guys, it was so much fun to film. I wore sufganiyot nail decals<\/strong><\/a> and star of David sparkly hair clips<\/strong><\/a> and ate piles of latkes, sufganiyot, and brisket. I can\u2019t give any spoilers obviously but there are plot twists and Hanukkah miracles and the most incredible personalities, I am so excited about it and I hope you\u2019ll tune in on December 21st at 9pm\/8c on Food Network!!!!\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n