Greenwich Reform A Synagogue For Generations

Transcription

1 Greenwich Reform A Synagogue For Generations Passover Cookbook 2017

2 Many thanks to all the women of Greenwich Reform Synagogue who took the time to share their favorite recipes with us.

3 Breakfast

4 Matzo Meal Pancakes 1/2 cup matzo meal 3 eggs separated 1/2 cup of warm water A pinch of salt Butter/oil for frying Mix matzo meal and salt in a bowl and mix with water. Beat egg yolks until light yellow. Mix the egg yolks into the matzo meal, salt and water mixture. Whisk egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the matzo mixture. The mixture should be slightly lumpy, so do not over mix. Heat skillet over medium to high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Fry pancakes for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve with Kosher for Passover genuine maple syrup, sliced strawberries or fresh blueberries. Yield: 2-3 servings

5 Matzo Brei 3 matzo crackers 3 eggs Salt and pepper to taste Vegetable oil or butter Break matzo into small pieces and soak in hot water for one minute. Squeeze out the water thoroughly. In another bowl, beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Mix in the matzo until fully soaked with egg. Heat frying pan with a little oil or butter. Pour the matzo mixture into the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side. Yield: 2 servings

6 Matzo Brei Frittata 4 matzos (regular or whole wheat) 4 large eggs (and/or egg whites) Salt & pepper to taste Unsalted butter (just enough to lightly coat the pan) 1/2-1 cup grated cheese (cheddar or similar) Set oven on broil Crumble matzos into a large sieve Run cold water over matzo until slightly moistened (10-15 seconds) Beat eggs (or combo of eggs and egg whites) with a little salt & pepper Add a little butter to a cast iron skillet and melt Add matzo to skillet Pour eggs over matzo in skillet Cook on medium flame until eggs start to set Sprinkle cheese over egg mixture Transfer to oven and broil until top is slightly browned and cheese is melted (5-10 minutes) Cut into pie-shaped slices and serve with syrup and/or salsa. If serving for lunch, add chopped leftover cooked vegetables like asparagus or broccoli.

7 Passover Blueberry Muffins 1/2 cup cake meal 1/4 cup potato starch 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup margarine, room temperature 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1/2 tsp orange juice 1/2 tsp orange zest 1 pt (2 cups) fresh or frozen blueberries, defrosted Preheat oven to at 350ºF (180ºC). Line muffin pans. In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients (cake meal, potato starch and salt). Set aside. Beat margarine until creamy. Add sugar and beat well. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in juice, zest, and dry ingredients. It is very important to make sure the blueberries are dry. Then gently fold the blueberries into the batter. Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350ºF for minutes. Cool. Yield: muffins

8 Matzo Farfel Granola and Yogurt 2 cups matzo farfel 1 cup unpeeled almonds, cut in half 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup oil 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup diced dried apricots 1 cup yogurt (any flavor you like) Heat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil the foil. Combine the farfel, almonds and coconut in a large bowl. Pour in the honey and oil and mix well. Spread the mixture on the baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a platter and cool. Add the raisins and apricots and toss well. Mix with your favorite yogurt.

9 Starters

10 Pistachio and Dried Fruit Charoset 1 1/2 cups unsalted natural pistachios 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries or dried cranberries 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots 1/4 cup sweet Passover wine 1/4 cup pure pomegranate juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Fresh mint sprigs (for garnish) Stir pistachios in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Combine dates, cherries, apricots, wine, and juice in medium bowl. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in honey, lemon juice, orange peel, and spices. Chop pistachios; mix into charoset. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Garnish charoset with mint sprigs.

11 Hallaq (Persian Charoset) 1 cup roasted, shelled pistachios 1 cup walnuts 1 cup black raisins 1 cup golden raisins 1 cup dates, pitted 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 large apple, peeled, quartered and cored 1 large pear, peeled, quartered and cored 2 bananas, peeled 2 to 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 1/2 to 1 cup pomegranate juice 1/2 to 1 cup sweet kosher wine In a large food processor, combine nuts, raisins, dates and spices. Pulse until nuts are coarsely chopped. Add apple, pear and bananas, and pulse until coarsely chop. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, and 1/2 cup wine. Pulse again, adding more vinegar, juice or wine to taste, as needed to make a coarse paste. Do not purée; mixture should retain some crunch. Yield: 6 cups

12 Turkish Charoset 1 cup pitted dates, halved 1 cup mixed dark & light raisins 1 large apple peeled (if desired), cored, and cut into large pieces 1/2 cup walnut pieces 1/2 cup blanched slivered or whole almonds 1 medium sized navel orange, peeled and cut into chunks About 2 tablespoons sweet red Passover wine Put all the ingredients, except the wine, through the coarse blades of a food grinder, or coarsely grind them together in a food processor fitted with the steel blade (in batches, if necessary). Add the wine and mix or process to form a soft, slightly coarse mixture. Refrigerate the charoset in a covered container, and serve it chilled. (The charoset gets slightly firmer when chilled.)

13 Gefilte Fish I 4 lb. pike 1 lb. white fish 1 small onion 1 bunch celery 1 carrot 1/2 cup water 4 eggs 1 lb. matzo flour 3 large onions 1 small carrot Salt and pepper to taste Remove skin and bones from fish. Chop fish, onions, celery and grated carrot. Add salt, pepper, eggs, water and chop until very fine; add matzo flour and mix. (Note: this can all be done in a food processor) Make individual patties and cover tops with skin of fish, if desired. In large pot place 3 large onions, sliced and small carrot, sliced and add enough water to cover fish entirely. Bring to a boil. Put in patties and cook for two hours. Do not stir. Keep pot covered at all times.

14 Gefilte Fish II 5 lb. mixed fish (3 lb. pike, 1 lb. white fish, 1 lb. winter carp) 2 cups water 1/2 cup matzo meal 1/8 tsp. pepper 5 onions 1 large carrot Fish bones and head 4 eggs 4 tsp. salt Fillet fish and salt lightly. Refrigerate about one hour. Grind fish with 1 small onion. Add 1 cup water and knead well. Add matzo meal and continue mixing. Add balance of water, then eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add seasoning and mix well. (Note: this can all be done in a food processor) In a large pot put 2 1/2 quarts water, slice 4 onions and carrots and bring to a boil together with heads, bones and skin. When it boils, gently place fish balls, made with dampened hands, in pot and cover so they will rise. Boil briskly for 2 hours. About 1/2 hour before done, season gravy with salt and pepper to taste. When finished cooking, cool, remove fish from gravy, and refrigerate.

15 Gefilte Fish Paté 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 medium sweet onions, peeled and chopped 1 1/2 pounds whitefish fillet, bones removed, finely ground 1 1/2 pounds pike fillet, bones removed, finely ground 4 large eggs 2 cups cold water 6 tablespoons matzo meal 1 tablespoon coarse salt 2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper 2 tablespoons sugar 2 large carrots, peeled and grated Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish Preheat oven to 325ºF. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Remove from heat and let cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine fish, cooled onions, eggs, water, matzo meal, salt, pepper, and sugar. Beat on medium speed for 15 minutes. Add grated carrots and mix until well combined. Transfer mixture to 12-cup bundt pan, smoothing top with a spatula. Place bundt pan in a larger baking dish and fill baking dish 2-inches high with water. Transfer to oven and bake for 1 hour. Cover bundt pan with parchment paper-lined foil and continue baking until center feels solid when a wooden skewer is inserted into the center, about 1 hour more. Remove bundt pan from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Invert onto a flat serving plate and refrigerate overnight. Slice and serve garnished with parsley.

16 Chicken Soup and Matzo Balls Soup: 1 chicken (about 6 lbs.) 3 medium onions 4 carrots 4 parsnips Salt 1 tbsp. dried dill weed Matzo Balls: 2 eggs 2 tbsp. melted chicken fat ½ cup matzo meal ¼ cup club soda ½ tsp. salt, pinch of pepper Soup: Cook one chicken in a large pot of water with 3 medium onions, quartered, 4 carrots and 4 parsnips cut in pieces, salt, 1 tbsp. dried dill weed in the cavity of the chicken. (Use fresh if possible). Cook 2 ½ - 3 hours at a slow boil. Remove the meat and vegetables (can use in the soup, or separately, or throw out). Put in the refrigerator until the next day. Skim the fat off the top of the soup and save fat in freezer for matzo balls Matzo Balls: Beat the eggs. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Store in the refrigerator several hours. Half fill a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Form balls of mixture in the palms of wet hands (keep dipping hands in a bowl of water to stay wet). Drop in boiling water, cover and let cook slowly about minutes. Yield: 6 servings, so multiply recipe as needed.

17 Main Dishes

18 Matzo Lasagna 2 pieces of matzo Tomato or spaghetti sauce 8oz cottage cheese 1 egg 4 oz parmesan cheese ½ red pepper ¼ large onion 10 baby carrots Shredded mozzarella cheese Beat the egg. Mix it with cottage cheese and the parmesan cheese. If using vegetables, mix those in as well. In an 8x8 inch cake pan (conveniently the same size as a piece of matzah), put down a thin layer of tomato sauce. Put a piece of matzah on top of that. Put a thin layer of tomato sauce on top of the matzah. Spread the cottage cheese mix over the matzah. Put a thin layer of sauce over the cottage cheese mix. Add another layer of mozzarella. Cover with the second piece of matzah. Cover with sauce and shredded mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees until the mozzarella turns dark brown, about 45 minutes YIELD: 4 servings

19 Passover Brisket 6 peeled carrots 1 yellow onion 6 stalks celery 1 beef brisket 1 dash garlic 1 dash ground pepper 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package onion soup mix Cut up enough of the vegetables to cover the bottom of the pan. Put the brisket on top of the vegetables fat side up. Season with garlic powder and ground pepper to taste. Sprinkle ONE packet of onion soup mix. Be sure to check that the Goodman s soup mix is marked kosher for Passover as they make one that is for use year round. Pour water into the pan almost to the top of the meat and cover with foil, shinny side down. Cook in the oven at 350ºF. After about two hours take a fork and stick it into the meat. If the fork goes in easily remove it from the oven and cut. Return the beef to the pan. Puree the vegetables and pour over the meat. Cook again for another hour. It may take 3 hours for the meat to be tender enough to be cut but don t let it get too tender because then it will fall apart. The remaining liquid can be used as a gravy for the meat and other dishes at your meal.

20 Beef Brisket with Port 1 beef brisket (3-4 pounds) 1t olive oil 1 cup shredded leek 1T minced garlic 1 cup finely chopped carrot 1 cup finely chopped onion 1 1/4 cups finely chopped celery 4 cups beef broth 1 cup ruby port 1 cup dried apricots 1 cup dried prunes 1 cup dried pears 1 cup dried Black Mission figs 1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley Salt and freshly ground pepper Boquet garni: 1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf, 4 sprigs parsley, tied together Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place the brisket in a large roasting pan. In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the leek, garlic, carrot, onion, and celery and sautee, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden. Transfer the vegetables to the roasting pan with the brisket. Add 3 cups of beef broth, 1/2 cup water, the port, and the boquet garni. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the brisket from the roasting pan and slice it across the grain. Return the meat to the roasting pan and add the dried fruits. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Add the remaining cup of broth or water if necessary to keep the sauce from drying up; the meat and fruit should remain moist. To serve, arrange the meat on a platter and, using a slotted spoon, arrange the fruit around; garnish with the parsley. Remove any fat from the pan juices, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with the meat.

21 Beef Brisket with Pomegranate Sauce 1 quart pure pomegranate juice 1 5-lb flat cut brisket, cut into two pieces (to fit in the slow cooker) 1 tsp salt 1 Tbsp olive oil 3 red onions, chopped 2 beef bouillon cubes 2 Tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp ground cumin 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries Pour the pomegranate juice into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Let the liquid reduce by a third. Meantime, heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Sprinkle the brisket with the salt and brown the meat well on both sides, one piece at a time. Place the browned brisket in the slow cooker. To the same hot skillet, add the olive oil and the onions. Sautee about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and starting to brown around the edges. Pour the onions into the slow cooker on top of the meat. Now add the reduced pomegranate juice, beef bouillon, tomato paste, cumin, brown sugar and dried cranberries to the slow cooker. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything up just a little. Put on the top and cook on low for 8 hours, after which the meat will be fall-apart tender and the house will smell heavenly. Remove the meat from the liquid and reserve on a plate. Pour the liquid into a saucepan, blend it smooth with an immersion blender, and reduce it by one-quarter to intensify the flavors. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Slice or shred the meat and serve with the sauce poured over. Brisket is much easier to slice when cold. Cook the night before the holiday, then put the meat and sauce in the refrigerator separately. In the morning, slice the meat.

22 Passover Chicken Fingers 4 large boneless chicken breasts 1 cup regular matzo meal 1 cup whole wheat matzo meal 2 large eggs 1 tsp of sea salt 3 tsp of dried thyme 3 tsp of dried basil 1/2 tsp of white pepper 1 tsp of paprika 2-3 tsp of olive oil Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Slice the chicken breasts into strips about 1 wide and 3 long (don t have to be perfect) In a large bowl mix the eggs well In another large bowl add all the dry ingredients and mix well (be sure to taste a small pinch and adjust to taste). Take a 8 x 14 baking sheet and grease it with olive oil Dip each strip of chicken/chicken fingers first into the eggs and then in the dry mix making sure they are well coated and place on the baking sheet. Repeat and leave a small amount of space between the strips on the cookie sheet to ensure they brown on all sides. When the cookie sheet is full place in the oven and turn down the heat to 375ºF. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until outside crust starts to brown up and then remove tray and turn over chicken strips/fingers. Return to the oven for another 7-8 minutes or until crust starts to turn brown. Remove, serve and enjoy! YIELD: 4 servings

23 Potato Chip Fish Sticks 4 to 6 ounces kosher for Passover potato chips 1 1/2 pounds firm white fish (I used cod) 1 egg, beaten Lemon wedges or cocktail sauce for serving Put the potato chips into a zipper lock bag and smash with a heavy skillet or a rolling pin until you ve made small crumbs. Cut the fish into sticks or nuggets, then dip into the egg and transfer to the bag of chip crumbs. When you ve got 4 or 5 pieces in there, seal the bag and shake, shake, shake. Transfer the fish to the prepared rack, and repeat with remaining fish. Bake for minutes, until crumbs are lightly browned and a fork meets no resistance when you try to pierce the fish. Serve with whatever condiments float your boat.

24 Passover Macaroni and Cheese 3 large eggs, divided 3-1/2 cups matzo farfel 1 cup milk Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 1 pint sour cream 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup butter or margarine, cut into 1/2-inch chunks 1/2 cup shredded American cheese Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Beat two of the eggs in a small bowl. Place half of the farfel in the prepared pan. Pour the eggs over it. Beat the remaining egg with the milk, salt and pepper. Set aside. Beat the ricotta cheese and sour cream together. Set aside. Sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese over the matzo farfel in the pan. Top with half of the ricotta mixture and half of the butter. Repeat layers: the remaining farfel, then the remaining cheddar cheese, the ricotta mixture and the butter. Pour the milk mixture over top. Top with the American cheese. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake another 10 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

25 Side Dishes

26 Matzo Vegetable Stuffing 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing dish 3/4 pound mixture of shiitake and crimini mushrooms, stems trimmed (removed for shiitakes) and sliced 1 large onion (about 1 pound), chopped (about 2 cups) 2 medium fennel bulbs (about 1 1/2 pounds total), trimmed, cored and coarsely chopped 2 celery ribs, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices 8 unsalted plain or egg matzos, broken into roughly 1-inch pieces 1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley 4 large eggs, lightly beaten Preheat oven to 400 F with rack in middle. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until oil shimmers. Sauté mushrooms with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until the liquid they give off has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining oil to skillet, reduce heat to medium, and cook onion, fennel, and celery with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until softened and golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms. Grease baking dish with olive oil. Spoon mixture evenly into dish, cover with foil and bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. For a top with some crisp and browned edges, uncover and continue to bake about 5 minutes more. Rinse matzo in a colander under hot running water until just softened, 15 to 30 seconds. Drain well. Add to vegetables with eggs, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir gently until combined. Grease baking dish with olive oil. Spoon mixture evenly into dish, cover with foil and bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. For a top with some crisp and browned edges, uncover and continue to bake about 5 minutes more. Note: Stuffing can be assembled (but not baked) one day ahead. Keep chilled, covered, then bring to room temperature 30 minutes before baking.

27 Old Fashioned Potato Kugel 1 tbsp vegetable oil 10 large potatoes, peeled and grated 2 large onions peeled and grated 5 extra large/jumbo eggs 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper Preheat an oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x13 inch pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Combine the potatoes and onions in a large bowl. Mix in the eggs, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and crisp, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

28 Mushroom Matzo Kugel 1 small onion, diced 3 celery ribs, diced 1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms 1/3 cup canola oil 3 1/2 cups matzo farfel 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth, undiluted 1 1/4 cups hot water 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Sauté first 3 ingredients in hot oil in a large skillet until tender Remove from heat. Stir in matzo farfel and next 5 ingredients. Spoon into a lightly greased 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired. YIELD: 6 servings

29 Potato and Smoked Salmon Kugel 1 cup chicken fat 1 onion, sliced 4 russet potatoes, peeled, grated, and liquid squeezed out 1 bunch dill, chopped Salt 1 pound sliced smoked salmon Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brush an 8 by12 lasagna dish with 2 tablespoons of chicken fat. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of chicken fat and onions, and sautee for 2 minutes, or until translucent. Let onions cool. In a large bowl, mix potatoes, cooked onions, and dill together with remaining chicken fat and season with salt. Place mixture in lasagna dish and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender in the center and crisp on top. Remove from pan and layer top with smoked salmon. Cut into 10 equal size portions and serve.

30 Cauliflower Leek Kugel 8 C cauliflower florets (from 2 med heads) 6 T olive oil, divided 4 C coarsely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts from 3-4 stalks) 6 T unsalted matzo meal 3 large eggs ½ C chopped fresh parsley, divided ½ C chopped fresh dill, divided 1 ½ t salt ½ t coarsely ground chopped pepper Cook cauliflower in large pot of boiling salted water until tender approximately 10 minutes. Drain, transfer to larger bowl and coarsely chop with potato masher Heat 3 T oil in heavy large skillet over med-hi heat. Add leeks and sauté until tender just beginning to lose color, about 5 min. Add leek mixture to cauliflower Mix in matzo meal Beat eggs, 1 T parsley, 1 T dill, salt and pepper, in small bowl to blend Stir into cauliflower mixture Brush 11x7 in baking dish with 1 T oil, spread cauliflower mixture evenly in pan. Stir together the remaining dill and parsley and 2 T oil in medium bowl to blend. Sprinkle evenly over kugel. Can make 8 hrs ahead, cover and chill. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake kugel uncovered until set in center and beginning to brown on top, about 35 min. Let stand 10 min. YIELD: 8 servings

31 Mrs. Feinberg s Vegetable Kugel 1 cup grated raw apple 1 cup grated raw sweet potato 1 cup grated raw carrot 1 cup matzo meal 1/2 cup margarine, melted 1 t salt 1 t baking soda 1 t cinnamon 1 t nutmeg 1/2 cup sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease a 10-inch casserole dish. Mix all ingredients together well. Pour into the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 45 minutes. Raise oven to 350ºF, remove cover, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Slice and eat hot. Note: Vegetables can be sliced in the food processor.

32 Spinach Pie (Mina d Espinaca) 2 matzos 1 bunch scallions, chopped (or one onion, chopped and sautéed in oil) 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (use less if dried) 8 oz cottage cheese 8 oz feta cheese 6 oz grated Parmesan cheese 4 large eggs 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 tablespoon melted butter Preheat oven to 375 F with rack in middle. Soak matzos in water for 2 minutes (until slightly softened). Carefully remove from water and set gently onto paper towels. Top with more paper towels and press to remove excess water. Cook onion in a little oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes, or use fresh chopped scallions. Meanwhile, put the defrosted spinach in a sieve and press out as much liquid as possible (best to use your hands). Combine spinach with onions/scallions, dill, pepper, feta, cottage cheese to taste. Add 3 of the eggs, and about half of the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Grease a pyrex baking dish with a little butter or oil and add spinach mixture. Top with dampened matzos. Brush with melted butter. Beat remaining egg and brush on top. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the butter/egg mixture. Bake at 375ºF for about 30 minutes, until top is golden brown and spinach mixture is bubbling. Plan ahead advice: You can assemble the pie one day ahead and cover and chill it for the seder the next day OR bake the pie 2-3 days in advance but take it out of the oven before it s fully cooked -- then finish it the day of the seder.

33 Tsimmes 1 pound flanken 1 onion 1t salt 1 cup prunes (with pits) 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup honey 1/2 lemon - juiced 3 potatoes - peeled and quartered 3 sweet potatoes - peeled and quartered Water Add flanken, onion and salt to a pot and cover with water. Boil for 20 minutes Remove onion and skim off fat Add prunes, raisins, brown sugar, honey, lemon juice and potatoes Add enough water to cover potatoes and simmer for another 20 minutes Add sweet potatoes and continue simmering until meat is soft. Do not let the potatoes get mushy.

34 Passover Popovers 1/2 cup oil 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup matzo meal 4 eggs Preheat oven to 450ºF. Bring 1 cup water to boil Add ½ cup oil, ¼ tsp. salt, and bring back to a boil. Add 1 cup matzo meal. Stir it in and it will clump together. Turn off the heat (within seconds of adding the matzo meal). Beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, using a whisk or a fork to add air. Place dough on an ungreased cookie sheet in big cookie-sized drops the taller the better. Bake 20 minutes at 450ºF, and 15 minutes at 325ºF. YIELD: 7-8 popovers, great for sandwiches!

35 Desserts

36 Farfel Cookies 2 c. matzo meal 2 c. farfel 1 ½ c. sugar 1 c. chopped walnuts ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon (more if you like) 2/3 c. oil 4 eggs Combine dry ingredients in bowl. Mix oil and eggs together and add to dry ingredients. (Do this by hand it s too thick for a mixer.) Use rounded tablespoonfuls for cookies and bake on parchment paper or oiled baking tin. Bake at 350ºF for minutes. Watch carefully and don t over bake. YIELD: 4 dozen cookies

37 Pistachio Macaroons 3 cups shelled pistachio nuts 1 cup sugar 3 egg whites Sugar for dusting Whirl the pistachio nuts in the food processor until ground but not pureed. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl mix the ground pistachio nuts, sugar and egg whites. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes. Drop the batter from a tablespoon onto the cookie sheets, leaving 1/2 inch between macaroons. Bake in a preheated 325ºF oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Dust with sugar when cool. Yield: 2 dozen

38 Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons 14 oz. sweetened coconut 2 t vanilla 1 14 oz. can condensed sweetened milk 2 cups chocolate chips melting chocolate (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheet with a silicon baking mat or nonstick foil. Mix coconut, vanilla, condensed milk and chocolate chips together in a large mixing bowl. Take a tablespoon size of the mixture (a cookie scooper works great for this) and roll it in a ball with your hands. Place each on the cookie sheet spaced apart (they will spread a bit). Bake about minutes until golden brown (watch them carefully). Cool on a wire rack. When totally cool, melt candy chocolate in a double boiler and dip the bottom and roll the bottom sides in the chocolate. Let cool for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator. zzv

39 Passover Sponge Cake 9 eggs, separated 1/4 cup potato starch 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbsp. dried orange peel 1/2 cup cake meal 1/4 cup orange juice Beat egg whites until they hold their shape. Add sugar slowly. In a separate bowl, sift cake meal and potato starch together. Fold into egg whites. Add orange juice and peel to beaten yolks. Fold into egg white mixture. Pour into large, ungreased tube pan. Bake in a preheated 325ºF oven for minutes. The cake is ready when it springs back to the touch. Invert onto a sturdy glass bottle and hang upside down until cool. Make sure the cake is completely cool (at least 1 1/2 hours) before removing from the pan. Remove the cake by using a sharp knife to cut around the side of the pan. Invert the cake onto a plate.

40 Flourless Chocolate Cake 10 eggs separated 1 cup sugar 6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate melted over hot water & cooled 2 cups finely chopped (not ground) walnuts Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until very thick & lemon-colored. Stir in the chocolate. Fold in the nuts. Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry and fold into the chocolate nut mixture. Turn into a greased 10-inch spring form pan and bake 1 hour or until the center springs back when lightly touched with the finger tips. Cool in the pan. Note: Put parchment paper on the bottom of the pan to make it easier to get the cake out.

41 Orange Marmalade Bars 1 C matzah cake meal 1/2 C margarine or oil 1/2 C potato starch 3 eggs 1 C orange juice 1/2 C orange marmalade or strawberry, raspberry jam 1 t cinnamon 1/2 C chopped nuts 1C sugar (reserve 1/4 cup) 1T margarine melted Beat eggs with oil and 3/4 cup sugar until light and creamy. Sift cake meal and potato starch, add to the batter. Stir until smooth, add orange juice stirring well. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan sprinkle lightly with potato starch. Pour 1/2 batter into the pan. Spread jam with spoon over batter and spread remaining batter over jam. Mix reserved sugar, cinnamon, nuts and melted margarine. Sprinkle over top of cake. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool and cut cake into square bars.

42 Passover Cobbler 3 large eggs 3/4 C sugar 1/4 C vegetable oil 3/4 C matzo meal 2 T potato starch 3-4 medium apples or two containers of strawberries 1/8 C cinnamon sugar pinch salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 by 9 inch square baking pan. Beat eggs with sugar until well blended. Add the oil, matzo meal, potato starch, salt and blend well. Put all the fruit in the pan and sprinkle with most of the cinnamon sugar, reserving a little for the top. Spoon the batter over the fruit, covering as much of the fruit as you can. Cover with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake until the topping is set and just turning tan, about 45 minutes. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Great with ice cream and/or caramel sauce.

43 Strawberry Cream Roll Sponge Cake 3 eggs, separated 1 whole egg 3/4 cup sugar, divided into 1/4 and 1/2 cup measures 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon potato starch Filling 1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberries 1 cup whipping or heavy cream 1/4 cup powdered sugar Prepare a 10x15x1 inch sponge cake( jelly roll ) pan. Grease lightly with butter, cover with parchment paper cut to fit or waxed paper. Lightly butter the parchment or waxed paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the 3 egg whites until foamy, continue beating until they start to thicken, then add 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until stiff. Note that beating the egg whites first means that you can use the same beaters for the egg yolk mixture without washing them. In a small mixing bowl, beat the 3 egg yolks with the whole egg for a minute or two. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and beat for several minutes until it is very thick. Sift the potato starch over the beaten egg yolks, then use a rubber spatula to fold in the potato starch. If the egg yolk bowl is big enough to fold in some of the stiff egg whites, fold in about 3/4 of the egg whites. Now fold this mixture into the remaining egg whites. Turn onto the prepared sponge cake pan, level gently as well as you can. Bake for 15-minutes Meanwhile place a piece of wax paper just a little longer than 15 on a table, sprinkle with a little sugar. When the sponge cake is done, use a sharp knife to go around the edge of the sponge cake pan, then flip the baked sponge cake onto the wax paper that has been sprinkled with a little sugar. Carefully peel off the parchment (or waxed) paper from the baked sponge cake. Now roll the sponge cake up with the waxed paper along either dimension. Rolling the 10 side will give you about a dozen nice slices. Rolling the 15 side will give you more but smaller slices. Cool thoroughly on a wire rack before unrolling. You can freeze it at this point, leaving it rolled up with the wax paper. Wash, core, and slice the strawberries. Chill the bowl and beaters, whip the cream, adding the powdered sugar before the cream thickens too much. Open up (gently unroll) the sponge cake, lay it out flat, spread with the whipped cream. Scatter the strawberries evenly. Roll up tightly. Chill for several hours or as long as overnight. Do not freeze the filled roll.

44 Passover Cheesecake Matzo Meal Tart Shell: 1 cup matzo meal 1/3 cup softened butter 1/3 cup water 1 tbsp. honey Cheesecake: 1 lb. low fat cream cheese, softened 2 cups low fat sour cream, divided 2/3 cup honey, divided 3 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla, divided Shell: Process 1 cup matzo meal in food processor until very fine. Cut 1/3 cup softened butter into meal until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine 1/3 cup water and 1 tbsp. honey. Mix well. Sprinkle over matzo mixture. Mix lightly to form dough. Shape into a ball. Press dough into bottom of a 9-inch spring-form pan with removable bottom. Bake shell at 350ºF for 2 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Cool completely. Filling: Beat cream cheese with ½ cup sour cream at low speed until very smooth. Reserve 2 tbsp. honey and gradually beat remaining honey into cream cheese mixture. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and mix well. Pour into cooled crust. Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until knife blade inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 425ºF. Combine 1 ½ cups sour cream, reserved 2 tbsp. honey and 1 tsp. vanilla. Mix well. Carefully spread over top of cheesecake. Bake at 425ºF 8 minutes or until the edges pull away from the pan. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove sides of pan and, if desired, garnish with sliced kiwi and strawberries, or other berries. YIELD: 16 servings

45 Chocolate Matzo 4-6 sheets of matzo 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line baking sheet with foil. Cover foil with parchment paper. Line sheets with matzo, cutting to fit the space. Combine butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Boil 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over matzo, covering completely. Place in oven, reduce heat to 350ºF and bake for 15 minutes (check early). Remove from oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and spread with a spatula after melting. Break into pieces and refrigerate until chocolate sets.

46 Aunt Rashel s Chocolate Nut Cake 6 eggs, medium or large, separated 1 c. ground toasted nuts 1 c. white sugar (less 2 Tbs) ½ c. matzo meal zest and juice of 1sweet orange*, or lemon 2 Tbs. Dutch process cocoa powder or grated semi-sweet chocolate * Use half an orange if it s a very large one, two if using Clementines Preheat the oven to 350 F (325 F if using a dark pan). Separate the eggs, putting the yolks into a large bowl. Toss the zest with a few pinches of matzah meal to keep it from clumping up. Prepare the nuts: Place on a baking sheet and bake about 8-10 minutes, until they release their aroma. Remove from the oven promptly and transfer to a bowl to cool. Hazelnuts may need more time in the oven; when they are cool enough to handle, roll briskly between your palms or inside a clean dishtowel to loosen and remove the chaff. For the best texture, chop the nuts as fine as you can with a very sharp knife, but if pressed for time, pulse them in a food processor with the remaining matzah meal, using short pulses to avoid making a paste. If using cocoa, mix it with the orange juice and blend until smooth. Using a sturdy wire whisk or an electric mixer beat the yolks and then add the juice/cocoa mixture and the zest; continue beating until the mixture is frothy. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the ground nuts and matzah meal (and optional grated chocolate) and blend evenly. Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until they start to look glassy. Sprinkle in the sugar 1-2 Tablespoons at a time, until the whites start to form soft peaks. They should look moist and shiny and just hold their shape. Gently fold one quarter of the beaten egg whites into the nut mixture with a rubber spatula. When this is blended, fold in the rest of the egg whites, one quarter at a time, until batter is evenly blended. Pour the batter into an ungreased springform pan lined with baking parchment; spread the batter evenly with a spatula, and put the cake in the oven on the center rack. Bake until tiny bubbles have formed and popped across the entire cake; this should take about minutes, depending on your oven. After 30 minutes you can test the cake by inserting a toothpick or a sharp knife in the center, which will come out clean when the cake is done. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool completely To remove the cake, run a thin sharp knife around the edge of the pan. Open the spring hinge and lift the ring. Slide the cake onto a serving platter.

47 Blender Pot de Creme 12 ounces package chocolate chips 1/4 C sugar pinch salt 2 eggs 2t vanilla 1 1/2 C milk or light cream Put all ingredients except milk into blender. Heat milk to boiling and add to blender. Blend for 1 minute. Pour into small cups or 9 inch pie shell. Chill at least one hour. Top with whipped cream.

48 Baba s Baked Apples Apples Raisins Cinnamon Put about an inch of cold water in baking dish. Wash and core cooking apples. (you can take off the skin but you don t need to) Place in baking dish Fill center of apples with raisins. (about halfway up) Sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Cover apples with foil, put in preheated oven (375ºF) Bake for minuted or until tender. This is pretty healthy recipe. If there are kids (or marshmallow-loving adults) it s fun to put a marshmallow in the apple and let in melt at the end of baking cycle.

49 Syrian Stuffed Prunes 12 ounces pitted prunes 1/2 cup walnut halves 2 T butter or margarine 1 cup sweet red wine 1T pomegranate syrup Juice of 1/2 lemon Stuff the prunes with the walnut halves. Sautee in butter or margarine for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add the wine, pomegranate syrup and lemon juice. Simmer uncovered over low heat for about 20 minutes.