Peel one large sweet potato. Fine grate the sweet potato using a cheese grater. Place the grated potato into a medium bowl that is lined with a cheesecloth.
Grate the shallot and place into the same bowl as the grated sweet potatoes. Take a wooden spoon and place over the vegetables then tie the cheesecloth around the wooden spoon. Squeeze the water out of the vegetables into a separate bowl.
Discard the watery liquid from the squeezed juice and save the remaining thicker liquid (yam "milk").
Combine the vegetables, starchy liquid, minced garlic, eggs, thyme, salt, pepper and matzo meal together, using your hands.
Preheat your pan to medium or moderate heat. Add enough olive oil to coat your pan.
Making 1-3 at a time, scoop or measure 1/4 cup of the potato mixture (make into thin patty) and add to the pan. Cook roughly 2-3 minutes per side.
Garnish each latke with both 1 T. of applesauce and sour cream. Enjoy!