“Tradish” — Connect with your Family Through Cooking

Welcome to Tradish, our new project celebrating family recipes you can make from your pantry. In these uncertain times, we’re calling our families and loved ones — and asking for recipes we can share with you. In the season ahead, we’ll share recipes from our own families, our network of home cooks around the globe, and professional chefs. To get started, try pastry chef Zoe Kanan’s go-to challah and stay tuned for our founder Naama Shefi’s chocolate “salami,” and more. And, check out our Instagram stories for cooking demos showing you how to make these dishes step-by-step. See you in the kitchen.

Michal’s Saffron and Rose Water Ice Cream
Michal’s Harira Soup
Zoe Kanan’s Challah
Zoe’s Eggy Challah with Coconut Milk and Herbs
Helen’s Paprika Potatoes
Levana’s Borekitas
Jessica’s Charoset
Michal’s Fermented Cabbage
Menashe’s S’chug (Yemenite Hot Sauce)
Mitchell’s Matzo Ball Soup
Mitchell’s Chopped Liver
Fany’s Boca Negra (Flourless Chocolate Cake with Sweet Tomatillo Sauce)
Alison’s Matzo Brei
Pnina’s Chocolate “Salami”
Alexandra’s Mina de Espinaca (Spinach, Cheese and Matzo Pie)
Bebe’s Coconut Macaroons
Homemade Matzo
Helen’s Cottage Cheese Dill Rolls
Rachel’s Schnitzel and Cherry Sauce
Robina’s Polo
Rhoda’s Chopped Herring
Jenny’s Lentil Salad
Michal’s Stuffed Grape Leaves
Erez Komarovsky’s Seasonal Stuffed Challah
Aunt Reba’s Oatmeal Cookies
Esther’s Zucchini Bread
Mehshi Laban (Zucchini Stuffed with Rice, Chickpeas and Butter)
Eva’s Pogacsa (Cheese Pastries)
Kim’s Friday Night “Poisson Marocaine” (Moroccan Fish)
Sasha’s Russian-Infused Vodka
Esther’s Fish Escabeche
Carol’s Mandelbrot
Pauline’s Matbucha
Ferst Family Frittata
Michal’s Matbucha

Saffron and Rose Water Ice Cream

Makes: 3 pints 
Total time: 15 minutes active + 2 hours inactive

Ingredients
½ teaspoon saffron threads
3 pints store bought vanilla ice cream, softened at room temperature
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 ½ tablespoons rose water
¾ cup raw shelled pistachios, divided
Dried rose petals for garnish

Preparation
1. Lightly toast the saffron threads in a 350°F preheated toaster oven for about 2 minutes to dry out the saffron threads. This step allows the saffron threads to grind more easily.

2. Place the saffron in a mortar and pestle and grind the saffron until it is a powder-like consistency.

3. Transfer the saffron to a heatproof bowl and add 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes or until the saffron water is bright red and fully steeped.

4. Place the softened ice cream into a large mixing bowl. Add the saffron water, cardamom, rose water and ½ cup of the pistachios into the bowl. Stir the mixture well with a spatula until the ice cream is completely combined with the ingredients. 

5. Transfer the icecream into a 8.5" long, 4.5" wide, 2.75" tall loaf pan and even out the top with the spatula. Transfer the ice cream to the freezer. Freeze the ice cream for at least 2 hours or until completely frozen.

6. Serve cold and garnish with pistachios and dried rose petals.

Michal's Harira Soup

Shared by: Michal Nir and Arielle Nir Mamiye

Makes: 6 servings
Total Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes 

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 chicken thighs (bone in + skin on)
2 yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped
6 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 cups grated tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
1 cup brown, green or red lentils
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 ½ quarts chicken broth or water
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup water
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
½ cup lemon juice

Preparation
1. Place a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sear chicken on both sides until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes each. Transfer chicken onto a plate. 

2. Add onions and celery into the pot and saute until translucent. Add tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes. 

3. Add seared chicken back into the pot and add the chickpeas and lentils. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Stir well and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar. Cook on a gentle simmer for about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours.

4. Mix the flour with ½ cup water in a cup until smooth. Add to soup and mix well. Add parsley and cilantro into the soup. Cook for another 30 minutes until the soup is a silky consistency.

5. Add lemon juice into the soup and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Serve hot.

Zoe Kanan's Challah

Shared by: Zoe Kanan

Makes: one 3-strand braided challah + one 4-strand braided challah
Total time: 7 hours

Ingredients
For the dough:
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons water, lukewarm 
⅓ cup whole-wheat flour (or all purpose flour)
3 cups all purpose flour 
1 whole egg, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
3 tablespoons honey 
1 ¾  teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
Non-stick vegetable oil spray or vegetable oil

For the egg wash:
1 whole egg
¼ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing

Preparation
1. Make a slurry: stir the yeast, warm water, and whole wheat flour together in a small bowl and let stand uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly bubbled and active. 

2. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

3. In a seperate large bowl whisk together the whole egg, 2 egg yolks, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, and honey until smooth. Add the slurry and stir to combine.

4. Add the flour and salt into the wet ingredients and begin to stir with your hands until a shaggy mass forms.

5. Transfer onto a clean kneading surface, making sure to scrape out as much residue from the bowl as possible. Knead until a smooth dough forms, 5 to 7 minutes, scraping from the surface and lightly dusting with flour as needed. 

6. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl or container and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to hydrate and ferment until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours depending on the ambient temperature.

7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or lightly oiled foil) and oil a 9”x4” loaf pan and set aside.

8. Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and transfer the challah dough onto the surface. Use a baking scale to divide the dough into 2 halves.

9. Divide the first half of dough (Half A) into 4 equal pieces and the second half of dough (Half B) into 3 equal pieces.

10. Flatten or roll out each piece of challah dough and shape into a tight log.

11. Roll each log with your fingertips in a back-and-forth motion, extending your arms out bit by bit, until the strand is about 13” long.

12. Use the 4 strands from Half A to form a 4-strand braid (see figure below) and place on the prepared baking sheet.

13. Use the 3 strands from Half B to form a 3-strand braid and gently place in the prepared loaf pan.

14. Place 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a bowl for brushing. Use a pastry brush or a non-stick oil spray to lightly brush or spray the loaves with vegetable oil. 

15. Cover thoroughly with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until expanded in volume 2.5x, typically 3 hours. Alternatively the loaves can be refrigerated overnight to rise and brought out to room temp for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking, or as needed until fully proofed.

16. Repeat the oil wash every hour or so to keep the surface of the dough from drying out.

17. Arrange the racks of an oven in the bottom and upper thirds and preheat to 375F. 

18. The loaves are ready to bake once they hold an indentation when poked for 2 seconds without any significant spring back.

19. Whisk a whole egg with salt in a small bowl until no strands remain. Egg wash the surface of the challah, straining the brush of excess liquid, with extreme lightness and care to keep from deflating the delicate dough. Avoid runny egg wash seeping along the bottom and sides of the loaf. This will seal in the oven and can make the bread difficult to unmold. 

20. Place the 4-strand loaf on the top rack and the 3-strand loaf on the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes, egg wash again, rotate the loaves for even browning, and continue baking 7 to 10 minutes for the 4-strand loaf and 12 to 15 minutes for the 3-strand. The goal interior temp is 195 to 200F. 

21. Immediately unmold onto a cooling rack and brush with olive oil. Let cool for at least 30 minutes to allow structure to set.

22. Serve warm.

 Baker’s Note: This challah is best enjoyed the day it is made! Store leftovers in a plastic bag or plastic wrapped.

Zoe's Eggy Challah Toast with Coconut Milk and Herbs

Shared by: Zoe Kanan

Makes: 2 servings
Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
2 eggs
⅓ cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, grated
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
1 scallion, green tips only, finely chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 slices of day-old challah, ½” cut on diagonal
¼ teaspoon chili oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Coconut milk and honey for finishing

Preparation
1. Make coconut batter: Whisk the eggs, coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, turmeric, salt, cilantro, scallions and black pepper together in a medium bowl.

2. Place the slices of challah in the coconut batter and pierce each piece with a fork a few times to help promote soakage. Let sit for 10 minutes, flipping over several times throughout.

3. Preheat a cast iron skillet or frying pan on medium heat. 

4. Place 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in the pan and carefully transfer 2 of the soaked slices. Lower the heat to medium low.

5. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining slices.

6. Enjoy hot with a drizzle of coconut milk and honey.

Cook’s Note: Bonus - lightly scramble the coconut batter and enjoy that, too!

Helen's Paprika Potatoes

Shared by: Larry Dell and Amanda Dell

Makes: 4 servings
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 ½  pounds potatoes (any type), chopped into 2 inch pieces 
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 medium white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
⅓ cup schmaltz, vegetable or other cooking oil
1 tablespoon paprika or more to taste
 ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Boil potatoes in a large pot of water with 2 tablespoons salt until fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Heat schmaltz or oil in a cast iron pan on medium low.. Add the onion, salt and pepper into the schmaltz or oil and saute until translucent and soft, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add paprika and stir to make sure all onions are coated and cook for another minute. Add par-boiled potatoes to the pan with onions. Gently crush the potatoes into smaller pieces with a fork. Stir the onions and potatoes while cooking.

4. Place the pan in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

5. Season the roasted potatoes and onions with additional salt and pepper to taste if needed. Stir the potatoes and onions to coat well with the fat. 

6. Serve hot.

Levana's Borekitas

Shared by: Ariel Palitz and Levana Lowenstein

Makes: About 15 borekitas with eggplant filling + 15 borekitas with cheese filling
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients
For the eggplant filling:
1 cup canola oil
1 cup olive oil
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 tomato, peeled and quartered 
1 ½ ounces blue cheese, grated
1 tablespoon kosher salt

For the cheese filling:
1 large yukon gold potato
4 tablespoons ricotta
1 cup + 3 tablespoons grated kashkaval 
1 egg
1 tablespoon kosher salt

For the dough:
1 cup cold water
1 ¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
5 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 
1 tablespoon baking powder

For the assembly:
1 egg, whisked
3  tablespoons sesame seeds
3 tablespoons grated kashkaval

Preparation
1. Make the eggplant filling: Heat the oil in a pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the eggplants and onions. Fry until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 20 minutes. Place the mixture in a strainer set over a large bowl. Set aside for 1 hour to drain the mixture from excess oil. Discard the excess oil, add the blue cheese and salt into the mixture. Mix until combined well. Set aside.

2. Make the cheese filling: Place the potato into a small pot. Cover the potato with cold water and set over high heat. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer the potato out of the pot with a slotted spoon and set it aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Peel the potato and place it into a mixing bowl. Using a fork, smash the potato well until it is the consistency of mashed potatoes. Add the ricotta, kashkaval, egg and salt. Mix well until combined. Set aside. 

3. Make the dough: Place the water, oil and salt into a food processor. Blend until the mixture becomes white, about 1 minutes. Add the baking powder and flour and blend until the mixture forms a dough, about 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. Turn the dough onto the counter. Roll it into a ball, cut it into 4 pieces of dough. Roll out each piece to a 12 inch long log. Starting with one log of dough, cut it into 7 pieces crosswise. Roll one piece of dough into a disk-like shape, about 2 inches in diameter, using the palms of your hands. Place the rolled dough onto the counter. Continue shaping the remaining 6 pieces of dough. Repeat with the remaining 3 logs of dough. Cover all the rolled out pieces of dough with a towel and set aside for 20 minutes. 

6. Shape and fill the borekitas: Take one piece of rolled out dough. Flatten out the piece of dough with your fingers until it is about ⅛ inch thick. Starting with the eggplant filling, place about ½ tablespoon of the mixture into the center of the dough. Take one edge of the dough and fold it over to seal the filling, forming a semicircle shape. Pinch the seams of the dough together. Using your index finger and thumbs, twist and pinch the seam of the dough to create a crimp like pattern across the round edge. Place the borekita upright onto the parchment paper, with the seam side up. Continue with the remaining 13 pieces of dough. Use the potato and cheese filling for the remaining 14 pieces of dough. For the potato and cheese filled borekitas place them on the parchment paper sideways so the seam side is on the side of the pastry. Brush all the borekitas with egg wash. Sprinkle the eggplant filled borekitas with sesame seeds. Sprinkle the potato and cheese filled borekitas with grated kashkaval.

7. Transfer the borekitas to the oven and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes until golden brown.

8. Serve hot with a side of boiled eggs and plain yogurt.

Jessica's Charoset

Shared by: Jessica Solnicki

Makes: 6 servings
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 ½ cups pitted dried dates
¼ cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
¼ cup roasted pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon rosewater
¼ cup grape juice

Preparation
1. Place the dates into a pot over high heat and add water to just cover the dates. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce the heat to cook the dates on a gentle simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the dates and discard the water.

2. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for about 3 minutes until smooth and paste-like consistency is formed. Transfer to a serving bowl.

3. Serve at room temperature with matzo or a piece of lettuce. 

Make Ahead: Charoset can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Michal's Fermented Cabbage

Shared by: Michal Nir and Arielle Nir Mamiye

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes active + 2 hours and 4 days inactive

Ingredients
2 green or red cabbages, cut into quarters and thinly sliced crosswise
4 tablespoons kosher salt
4 fresh or dry bay leaves

Special Equipment
1 glass clamp container (1 ½ liters)

Preparation
1. Place the sliced cabbage into a large bowl. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the cabbage. Place a thin towel over the bowl and set aside for 2 hours (preferably in sunlight).

2. Meanwhile, sterilize the jar. Fill the jar with boiling water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Drain the water and completely dry out all the surfaces of the jar. 

3. Remove the towel from the cabbage and knead the cabbage in the bowl for about 5 minutes until the cabbage is tender and liquid is extracted from it. 

4. Use your hands to divide the cabbage into 4 equal portions. Reserve all the cabbage liquids. Place the first portion of cabbage into the container and tightly press down. Place 1 bay leaf over the first layer of cabbage and continue adding the remaining 3 layers, making sure to add 1 bay leaf between each layer. Once all the cabbage is in the container it should reach about 1 inch below the rim of the container. Pour all of the cabbage liquids into the container. Most of the cabbage should be covered with liquid. If needed add room temperature water until the cabbage is submerged in liquid. Close the clamp of the jar tightly. Place a towel over the jar.  

5. Store the cabbage container in a dark spot for 4 days. After 4 days carefully open the clamp of the jar and enjoy. Serve the cabbage at room temperature or cold. 

Cook’s note: After 4 days, store the cabbage in the airtight glass container in a refrigerator. The cabbage will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Menashes S'chug (Yemenite Hot Sauce)

Shared By: Einat Admony

Makes: about 1 ½ cups
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
15 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 to 3 jalapeño chiles, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
4 dried red chiles
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup canola oil

Preparation
1. Place the garlic cloves, jalapenos, red chiles, cardamom and cumin in a food processor and blend for about 15 seconds until a paste is formed. Add the cilantro, salt and oil into the food processor and blend for about 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth and blended. 

2. Serve at room temperature.

Make Ahead: Transfer the hot sauce into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Mitchell's Matzo Ball Soup

Shared by: Mitchell Davis

Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Time: 1 hour active + 3½  hours inactive + overnight

Ingredients
For the Soup:
1 (4 ½ pound) soup chicken, stewing hen, or roasting chicken, cut into quarters and rinsed
2 or 3 chicken necks or chicken feet, claws removed (optional)
4 large yellow onions (2 pounds), roughly chopped
8 celery stalks (1 pound), with leaves, roughly chopped
1 parsley root (½ pound) with top, cleaned and roughly chopped OR about 10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
7 to 8 carrots (1 ½ pounds), peeled and halved,
1 medium turnip (½ pound), peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium parsnip (½ pound), peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 small point of a star anise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 sprigs fresh dill
1 recipe for vegetable garnish (below)

For the matzo balls:
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons chicken schmaltz, melted and cooled
4 tablespoons hot chicken soup
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons matzo meal

For the vegetable garnish:
6 cups chicken soup
3 medium carrots (½ pound), sliced ⅛ inch thick
1 medium turnip (½ pound), cut into ⅓ inch dice
2 celery stalks (¼ pound), cut crosswise into ¼ inch slices
5 sprigs fresh dill, chopped (1 ½ teaspoons)

Preparation
1. Make the soup: Place the quartered chicken, necks or feet (if using), onions, celery, parsley root or parsley, carrots, turnip, parsnip, peppercorns, star anise, and salt in a 12-quart stock pot. Add 5 quarts (20 cups) of cold water and set over high heat to boil, about 30 minutes.

2. Turn down the heat to a simmer, set the cover ajar on top of the pot, and allow to cook for 2 hours, using a large spoon to skim off any scum that rises to the surface.

3. Add the dill and simmer an additional 45 minutes.

4. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.

5. When cool enough to handle, ladle the soup through a fine sieve into storage containers. Chill overnight. Remove any fat that congealed on the top of the soup and store for up to two days or freeze until ready to use.

6. Make the matzo balls: Combine the eggs, salt, schmaltz and soup or water in a mixing bowl and whisk until blended.

7. Using a fork, stir in the matzo meal and mix until smooth. Let set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, until the matzo meal absorbs the liquid and the mixture sets near firm.

8. In a large pot, bring your chicken soup to a simmer. In a separate pot, bring about 5 quarts of water to a boil with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt.

9. Remove the matzo ball mixture from the fridge. Wet your hands with cold water and shape a heaping tablespoonful of the mixture into a ball in the palm of your hands. Coax the matzo ball into a sphere. Rolling it too tightly will prevent it from achieving its puffiest. Drop into the boiling water and repeat with the remaining mixture, cleaning and wetting your hands as necessary to keep the matzo balls from sticking to your skin. Be careful not to crowd the pot you are cooking the matzo balls in or they will not cook through fully.

10. Bring the pot back up to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer, cover tightly and cook for an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until the matzo balls have risen from the bottom of the pot and have blown up to about twice their original size. Occasionally a matzo ball or two will stick to the bottom of the pot. Give it a nudge with a spoon to loosen.

11. While your matzo balls cook, make the vegetable garnish: Add the sliced carrots and diced turnip to the simmering pot of soup, and cook for 30 minutes. Add the celery and cook about 15 more minutes, until all of the vegetables are tender. Add the dill. Keep warm until ready to serve.

12. Using a slotted spoon, remove the matzo balls from the boiling water and place them directly into the simmering chicken soup. Or, if preparing in advance, remove them from the cooking liquid and let them drain on a cookie sheet. Freeze them on the sheet until they are firm, and then transfer them to a resealable plastic bag. Defrost them in simmering soup directly from the freezer.

13. To serve, transfer the matzo balls to bowls and ladle the soup and vegetable garnish over top.

Mitchell's Chopped Liver

Shared By: Mitchell Davis

Makes: 3 cups
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
1 ½ pounds chicken livers
6-8 tablespoons chicken schmaltz
3 medium yellow onions (about 1 pound), 1 peeled but left whole with the root end intact, the rest finely chopped
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon horseradish
2 large hard boiled eggs, chopped

Preparation
1. Begin by cleaning the livers. Rinse each under cold running water. With a sharp paring knife, separate the two lobes. Cut away any visible fat, membrane, or green patches on the livers. Place in a strainer to drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat the schmaltz in a large, 10- or 12-inch heavy frying pan. Add the chopped onions and saute, over medium-high heat, until soft and translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the cleaned, drained livers and saute until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the salt and black pepper. Allow any liquid that the livers release to evaporate as they cook. Remove from the heat and cool.

3. If using a wooden chopping bowl, transfer the cooked livers and onions to it. Add the mustard and horseradish. Using a metal chopping blade, chop the cooked livers into a small dice. Some of the livers will break up to mush, others will hold their shape. The goal is to obtain a spreadable combination of small pieces and paste. If not using a chopping bowl, chop each liver by hand on a cutting board using a very sharp knife, and transfer to a mixing bowl.

4. Add the chopped eggs, mix well, and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Adding more schmaltz will smooth out the flavor of the liver and the texture. Use your judgement. The chopped liver can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated at this point.

5. On the day of serving, remove the liver from the refrigerator. Using a handheld box grater, grate the remaining onion into the liver, holding onto the root end for leverage. Mix well, taste, and adjust the seasoning, which will have changed after sitting and chilling.

6. Serve with dark bread or crackers and some grainy mustard on the side.

Fany's Boca Negra (Flourless Spiced Chocolate Cake with Sweet Tomatillo Sauce)

Photo by Dave Katz

Shared By: Fany Gerson

Makes: 8 Servings
Total Time: 2 hours 

Ingredients
For the cake:
1 ½ sticks (6 ounces) + 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 
1 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
6 medium dried chipotle chiles 
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice (preferably fresh)
10 ounces high quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 eggs
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, almond flour or matzo meal
1 pinch salt

For the tomatillo sauce:
1-pound small fresh tomatillos, husk-removed and coarsely chopped
⅓ cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup water
4 tablespoons sugar
1 small cinnamon stick

Preparation 
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with 1 teaspoon of butter (make sure it’s not a springform pan) and dust about 1 tablespoon of sugar all around, knocking out the excess.

2. Make the chipotle paste: Discard the stems, seeds and veins of the chiles and toast them flat in a hot skillet for a couple of minutes over medium heat until they are fragrant, flipping them so they do not burn. Soak them in very hot water until they are softened, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain but reserve the liquid and grind in a blender or food processor adding a bit of the water as needed until you get a smooth paste. Press through a sieve if you the paste is not completely smooth. You will only need 1½ tablespoons of the paste, but you can freeze the rest or use it for something else.

3. Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Mix the remaining 1 cup of sugar and orange juice in a small pot over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and pour the sugar mixture over the chocolate. Stir until all the chocolate is melted (you can use a whisk but don't beat it, simply stir). Add the remaining 6 ounces of butter little by little into the chocolate mixture and once the butter is melted whisk in the eggs one by one, stirring between each addition. Add the chipotle paste, cornstarch (or almond flour or matzo meal if using) and salt and stir until the mixture is smooth and combined.

4. Pour cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Place a large and deep baking dish into the oven (large enough to fit the cake pan). Place the filled cake pan into the center of the baking dish and gently pour water into the baking dish (around the cake pan) until it reaches about half-way up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until a thin crusty layer forms on top and the cake is set, about 45 minutes. 

5. Meanwhile make the tomatillo sauce: Place the tomatillos into a medium pot. Add ⅓  cup light brown sugar, ⅓  cup of water, 4 tablespoons of sugar and 1 small cinnamon stick into the pot. Place over medium heat, and stir occasionally until the tomatillos are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and puree the mixture into a chunky and uniform sauce. Cool and chill completely before use. 

6. Remove the cake from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes. Place a large plate over the cake pan and carefully unmold the cake onto the pan by flipping it. You can also chill the cake in the refrigerator  for 10 minutes. When you are ready to unmold, dip a small, sharp knife in hot water, dry it quickly and run it around the edges of the cake. Dip the bottom of the cake pan in very hot water for about three minutes and unmold onto a plate. Serve room temperature. 

7. Serve the cake at room temperature. To slice the cake use a sharp knife that has been dipped into hot water and dried between each slice to ensure each piece is smooth. Serve each slide with a dollop of tomatillo sauce. 

Make Ahead: You can make the tomatillo sauce up to one week in advance and add a bit of water if it seems thick like marmalade (it should definitely be thick but pourable).

Recipe adapted from Fany Gerson’s “My Sweet Mexico” Cookbook.

Alison's Matzo Brei

Shared By: Alison Roman

Makes: 4 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 salted matzo boards (unsalted will work, too, just be sure to compensate by adding salt when making it)
6 large eggs
Sour cream and applesauce, for serving

Preparation
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have caramelized and softened completely, about 15 minutes; don’t rush this part! Low-and-slow caramelized onions are key to its deliciousness. Remove from the heat and set aside while you deal with the matzo.

2. Soak the matzo in a large bowl of warm water for a few seconds to soften and just soak through (leave them in there too long and they’ll fall apart). You’ll know they’re properly soaked when they are soft and no longer snap like a cracker. Drain the matzo in a colander.

3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the soaked matzo and, using your hands or a spatula, stir to coat so that all the matzo is evenly coated with the egg mixture. Let this sit for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Return the skillet to medium-low heat and add the matzo mixture to the caramelized onions; season again with salt and pepper. Cook, scraping the bottom of the skillet occasionally, almost like you’re making a soft scramble. Cook until the eggs are just set, then remove the skillet from the heat (they will continue to cook off the heat).

5. Transfer the matzo brei to a large bowl (or serve straight from the skillet) and serve with plenty of sour cream and applesauce.

Chef's note: The key to good matzo brei lies in two things: very seasoned, very caramelized onions; and properly soaked matzo boards. Not enough soaking and it’ll be dry; too much, and it’ll feel bland and waterlogged. It may take you a few tries to see what I mean. It is, after all, an art.

Pnina's Chocolate "Salami"

Shared By: Naama Shefi

Makes: Two 15 inch rolls 
Total Time: 15 minutes active + 2 hours inactive

Ingredients 
1 cup granulated sugar 
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup whole milk 
¼ cup red wine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
½ cup butter 
5 cups tea biscuits or any dry cookies
½ cup crushed almonds, nuts or raisins (optional)

Preparation
1. In a small pot over medium-low heat, mix the sugar, cocoa powder, milk, wine, vanilla extract, rum extract and butter until the sugar is dissolved and the texture is smooth. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, crush and crumble the tea biscuits or cookies into small pieces. 

3. Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the tea biscuits or cookies. Add the almonds, any nuts or raisins if using. Mix well until combined and the mixture forms a dough-like consistency. Add more crumbled tea biscuits or cookies if the mixture is too thin to hold its shape.

4. Place a large piece of parchment paper, about 18 inches x  12 inches, onto a surface. Transfer half of the mixture onto the parchment paper. Wrap the parchment paper over the mixture and roll it into a log that is 15 inches long. Twist the 2 ends of the log to seal the mixture in the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining half of the mixture to create another log.

5. Freeze the chocolate logs for at least 3 hours before serving.

6. Slice the chocolate salami into thin slices, crosswise, and serve cold.

Make ahead: Store the chocolate “salami” in the freezer for up to two months.  

Alexandra's Mina de Espinaca (Spinach, Cheese and Matzo Pie

Shared By: Alexandra Zohn

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Total Time: About 1 hour and 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 large russet or Yukon gold potatoes
1 tablespoon + 2 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 ¼ cups shredded parmesan cheese, divided
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pound (2 large bunches) baby spinach, regular spinach or defrosted frozen spinach, finely chopped
About 8 plain matzo sheets (7-inch x 7-inch squares)
1 ½  tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil or vegetable oil, divided

Preparation
1. Place the potatoes into a pot. Cover with room teperature water and 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes and cool for about 5 minutes until the potatoes are still warm but easier to handle and peel the potatoes. Discard the peels. 

2. Make the “gomo” or potato mixture: Mash the potatoes with a potato ricer or fork into a large bowl until the potato mixture is smooth with no chunks.  Add 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, ¾ cup of parmesan cheese, 1 block of cream cheese and the beaten eggs into the potatoes. Mix well with a spatula until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Set aside. 

3. Make the spinach mixture: Place the chopped spinach into a large  bowl and add ¼ cup of parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoons of salt. Mix until the salt and cheese are evenly distributed with the spinach. Set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10-inch x 3-inch circular springform baking pan with 1 teaspoon of oil.

5. Fill a container large enough to fit one matzo sheet, with water halfway up to the rim and ¼ teaspoon of salt . Soak the eight matzos, one matzo at a time in the water for about 30 seconds, until each sheet is flexible yet still firm enough to hold its shape. Gently place each soaked matzo onto a kitchen or paper towel and remove any excess moisture. Set aside.

6. Assemble the mina: Line the bottom of the baking pan with two matzos, one on top of the other. Trim any edges as needed and use the matzo trims to fill up any gaps. Evenly spread half of the spinach-parmesan mixture on top of the matzos.  Add another double layer of moistened matzos on top of the spinach, gently press the matzos into the spinach layer to make space for the remaining layers. Spread the second half of the spinach mixture over the matzo layer. Place another double layer of matzo over the second spinach layer. Gently press the matzos into the spinach to make room for the remaining layer. Spread the potato mixture evenly over the matzo layer. Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to make swirls on the surface of the potatoes to brown evenly in the oven. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese on top of the potato mixture and drizzle 1 ½  tablespoons of oil on top. 

7. Transfer the assembled mina into the oven and bake for about 35 to 45 minutes until the mina is deeply golden brown. Allow the mina to cool for about 5 minutes. Run the tip of a sharp knife along the outside edges of the mina to separate it from the pan. 

8. Unmold the mina and serve hot.

Bebe's Coconut Macaroons

Shared By: Marissa Lippert

Makes: 15 macaroons
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
14 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
4.5 ounces sweetened condensed milk, or a bit more for cohesiveness
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  

2. In a mixing bowl, mix the coconut, condensed milk and vanilla until well incorporated.  

3. Using a pastry scoop or your hands, shape about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into a golf-sized ball and place it onto the baking sheet. Continue shaping macaroons with the remaining mixture and place them onto the baking sheet.

4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through.

5. Cool and serve at room temperature. 

Make Ahead: To store, freeze the macarons in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Homemade Matzo

To make Kosher matzo, the matzo sheets must be in the oven baking within 18 minutes after the flour and water are combined to form the dough. To do so, work quickly when making the dough and shaping the matzos.

Makes: 5 matzo sheets
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt½ teaspoon granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups lukewarm water

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and if possible, use the convection setting of your oven.

2. Make the dough: Place the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar and mix well. With the back of a spoon, make a large well in the center of the flour and pour the water into the well. Using a fork or your fingers mix the flour and water until combined into a dough. Knead the dough for about 1 minute until it is smooth with some shaggy ends. Let the dough rest uncovered for 2 minutes. 

3. Shape the dough: Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Starting with one piece of dough, place it onto a large piece of parchment paper. Roll out the dough into a very thin circle that is 1 millimeter thick. Transfer the rolled out dough to a parchment lined baking tray and repeat the rolling and shaping of the remaining dough balls. Once all the rolled out matzos are on the baking sheet, use a fork to poke each matzo sheet to create several vertically oriented indentations.

4. Transfer into the oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. 

5. Let the matzos cool for about 5 minutes, transfer to a serving plate and serve at room temperature. 

Cook’s Note: 

• To ensure the matzo is kosher do not open the oven during the baking process to check on the matzos. Make sure you only open the oven once the matzo is baked and ready to be transferred out of the oven.

• Store the matzo in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.

Helen's Cottage Cheese Dill Rolls

Makes: 12 rolls
Total Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Ingredients
2¼ teaspoons dry active yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ cup lukewarm water
4 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon unsalted butter
1 cup whole-fat cottage cheese (or chive cottage cheese)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons dill seed
2 teaspoons yellow onion, grated 
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda

Preparation
1. Make the dough: Place the yeast, sugar, and water into a large mixing bowl and stir to dissolve. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small saucepan. Add the cottage cheese into the butter and stir the mixture until lukewarm, then remove from the heat. Mix the salt, egg, dill seed, and onion into the cottage cheese and butter until combined. Add this mixture into the yeast, sugar and water and stir to combine into a wet batter. Mix the flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add the flour and baking soda into the wet batter and mix to form a soft and smooth dough.

2. Grease a large bowl with ½ teaspoon of the butter. Transfer the dough into the greased bowl and flip the dough over in the bowl to lightly coat both sides of the dough with the butter. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it proof in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.

3. Liberally grease a 12-cup muffin baking pan with about 2 tablespoons of the butter. Turn the proofed dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball with your hands and place each piece into a muffin cup in the baking pan. Gently cover the muffin tray with a towel and let the dough rise for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the dough is proofed and puffy.

4. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 

5. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and brush the tops of the dough rolls with it. Bake the rolls for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Let cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the rolls and tip them out of the pan.

6. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Rachel's Schnitzel and Cherry Sauce

Makes: 4 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients 
For the cherry sauce:
2 cups fresh cherries or defrosted frozen cherries, pitted
1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons room temperature water
¼ cup red wine 
3 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar 
Zest of 1 orange 
1 teaspoon salt 
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper 
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (optional)
1 whole star anise seed (optional)
4 tablespoons cornstarch

For the schnitzel:
1 cup all purpose flour 
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs 
1 cup regular breadcrumbs 
Zest of 1 lemon 
3 teaspoons flaky sea salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper 
4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded ¼ inch
1 cup vegetable oil 

Preparation
1. Make the cherry sauce: Place the cherries into a pot and cover with about 1 ¾ cups of water or enough to just cover the cherries. Cook over medium high heat, bring to a boil and lower heat to medium and cook on a simmer for about 7 to 10 minutes until the cherries are tender and soft. Add the red wine, sugar, zest, salt, pepper, ginger (if using) and star anise (if using) into the cherries and stir. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture into the cherries and mix well. Continue cooking the mixture on a simmer stirring constantly until the liquid becomes glossy, thick and clear, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the sauce into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Dredge the chicken breasts: Place the flour into a bowl. Place the beaten eggs into another bowl. Mix the Panko and regular bread crumbs, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper in a separate bowl. Starting with one chicken breast at a time, coat the chicken in the flour and shake off any excess. Dip the chicken into the beaten eggs, coat on both sides and then press the chicken into the Panko and breadcrumb mixture to coat on all sides. Transfer chicken to a plate or baking tray. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.

3. Fry the schnitzel: Heat 1 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. After about 1 minute, dip the tip of a chicken breast into the oil to check if it sizzles. If the oil sizzles, it is hot and ready for frying. Place the chicken breasts into the pan and fry on both sides until golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes on each side.

4. Transfer schnitzel to a towel lined tray to drain any excess oil. Immediately sprinkle the schnitzel with the remaining 1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt. 

5. Serve the schnitzel hot with a dollop of warm cherry sauce. 

Robina's Polo

Shared by: Jake Cohen

Serves: 6 to 8
Time: 55 minutes, plus 1 hour soaking time

Ingredients
3 cups basmati rice, rinsed
3 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon saffron thread, crushed
½ cup boiling water
¾ cup vegetable oil, divided
2 teaspoons advieh polo spice, divided
1 cup whole Greek yogurt* or coconut yogurt
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed or vegetable oil
½ cup dried currants
½ cup pine nuts

Preparation
1. In a large bowl, cover the rice with cold water and 1 tablespoons of the salt. Let soak for 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, in a large glass, combine the saffron and boiling water and let bloom until vibrant red, 10 minutes, stir in 1 tablespoon of the salt, 1/2 cup of the oil and 1 teaspoon of the advieh polo spice.

3. Once the rice has soaked, bring a large pot of water to a boil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt. Drain the rice and add to the pot to cook for 5 minutes, then strain.

4. In a large bowl, stir the Greek or coconut yogurt with ⅓ of the saffron mixture. Add 3 cups of the cooked rice and toss to coat.

5. Great a 4-quart non-stick pot with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Lay the yogurt coated rice along the bottom of the pot and up 1-inch around the edges. Add ½ of the remaining par cooked rice to the pot and drizzle with another ⅓ of the saffron mixture. Dot with ½ of the remaining butter or 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Layer the remaining par cooked rice on top, then drizzle with the remaining saffron mixture and dot with the remaining butter or 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Tie a kitchen towel around the lid of the pot and cover (this is to capture excess steam).

6. Place the pot over medium-high and cook, turning often until you can hear a constant sizzle, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, turning occasionally until the rice is fully cooked and the bottom is golden, 25 to 30 minutes more.**

7. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the remaining ¼ cup oil over medium heat with the remaining 1 teaspoon advieh polo, currant and pine nuts. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant and the pine nuts are toasted, 3 to 4 minutes.

8. Once the rice is ready, place a platter over the pot and invert to reveal the crispy tahdig. Spoon the currants and pine nuts over top, then serve.

*While yogurt is common for the classic casserole tahchin, Robina uses it for her regular rices or polo to form a richer and thicker crust.
**You can alternatively bake, covered, in a 375 oven (as long as the pot is oven safe) for about 2 hours, which is how you would make tahchin.

Rhoda's Chopped Herring

Shared by: Anna Gershenson

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 12-ounce jar marinated herring
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped into quarters
1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped into ½ -inch pieces
½  thin slice of a loaf of white bread, crust removed 
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half, divided
1 tablespoon sunflower or vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
Kosher salt to taste, if needed

Preparation
1. Place the white bread into a small bowl submerged in room temperature water. Soak the bread for about 10 to 20 minutes or until it is completely tender. Drain the bread from the water. Discard the water.

2. Place the herring into a strainer. Drain the liquid and discard the marinated onions. 

3. Place the onion, apple and soaked bread into a food processor and run the food processor until the ingredients are finely chopped. Add the herring into the food processor and pulse it about 5 times or until it is finely chopped and incorporated with onion, apple and bread mixture. Make sure not to over-process the mixture. Add 2 hard-boiled eggs and pulse a few more mites until the eggs are finely chopped and incorporated well into the mixture.

4. Transfer the chopped herring mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the sunflower oil and sugar and stir the mixture until combined well. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding salt or additional sugar if needed. Set aside.

5. Separate the yolks and egg whites from the remaining hard boiled egg. Chop the egg yolk, and separately chop the egg whites. Set aside.

6. To serve, transfer the chopped herring into a serving plate and shape it into a square mound. Garnish the chopped herring by sprinkling 3 vertical stripes of the chopped egg: sprinkle half of the chopped egg whites on the left third of the mound, sprinkle the chopped egg yolk on the center third of the mound and sprinkle the remaining chopped egg whites on the right third of the chopped herring. Serve the chopped herring at room tempurature with a slice of rye bread.

Jenny's Lentil Salad

Shared by Michael Goldstein

Makes: 2 servings
Total Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Ingredients
1 pound French green lentils, rinsed
¾ cup lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Persian cucumbers, cut into ½ dice
½ red onion, cut into ½ inch dice
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 cup Feta cheese, cut into 1 inch dice

Preparation
1. Place the lentils into a pot and cover completely with cold water until it reaches about 1 inch from below the top edge of the pot. Place over high heat, bring to a boil and reduce to medium-low heat. Continue cooking the lentils on a gentle simmer until just tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. The lentils should still have a bit of a bite to them. Rinse and drain the lentils. 

2. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl until combined. Add the cooked lentils into the olive oil and lemon juice mixture. Mix until all the lentils are coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator for about one hour. 

3. Transfer the lentils from the refrigerator. Add the cucumbers, onions, feta and parsley into the lentils. Mix well until all the ingredients are distributed evenly and coated with the olive oil and lemon dressing.

4. Serve cold.

Michal's Stuffed Grape Leaves

Makes: 8 to 10 servings
Total Time: 1 hour active + 2 hours inactive

Ingredients
50 preserved grape leaves
2 tomatoes sliced crosswise into ¼ inch slices

For the stuffing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
½ cup pine nuts
1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice (optional)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ cups Jasmine rice
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 lemons

For the sauce:
½ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon 
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation
1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the all spice (if using), salt and pepper and mix. Add the herbs, pine nuts and rice and mix well until the rice is coated with the mixture and cook for about 1 more minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is at room temperature, mixing halfway through. 

2. Add the lemon juice and zest into the mixture and mix to combine. 

3. In a medium pot or Dutch oven, place about 5 to 7 grape leaves or enough to cover the bottom of the pot. Place the tomato slices over the grapleaves in another layer.

 4. Lay out one grape leaf on a tray with the vein side up. Lay out 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture onto the bottom third of the grape leaf, spreading it into a log shape about 3½-inch wide. Fold the right and left sides of the grape leaf over the rice, then tightly roll up the leaf from the bottom up, making a tight package to create a log shaped stuffed grape leaf. Gently transfer the stuffed grape leaf into the pot with the seam side down. Arrange the stuffed grape leaves tightly in a concentric circle in the bottom of the pot. Repeat the stuffing and shaping process with the remaining grape leaves and rice mixture. Once one layer is filled, place another layer of grape leaves on top.

5. Once all the stuffed grape leaves are in the pot, place the lemon juice, 1 cup of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, juice of 1 lemon and enough water to completely cover the grape leaves into the pot. Place a small ceramic plate just smaller than the pot on top of the grapleaves to make sure they stay in place during cooking.

6. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the pot liquids to a boil. Reduce the heat to low heat and place a lid on the pot. Cook the grapleaves on a gentle simmer for about 2 hours until the rice is cooked through and the leaves are tender. 

7. Let the grape leaves cool in the pot (off heat) for about 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool completely and serve at room temperature.

Erez's Seasonal Challah

Makes: 2 challahs
Total time: 30 minutes active + 3 hours and 35 minutes inactive

Ingredients
For the challah dough:
8 cups bread flour
1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon plus 1 ¾ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups water
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cane sugar or granulated sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
⅔ + cup + 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons kosher salt

For the egg wash:
1 whole egg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon water

For decoration:

Herbs, vegetables or flowers like dill, fennel fronds and flowers, spring garlic, chive blossoms, lavender flowers, rose petals, etc.

Preparation
1. Place the flour into a large bowl. Crumble the fresh yeast into the flour and mix well; if using active dry yeast, whisk the yeast into the 2 cups of water in a separate bowl and add the yeast and water mixture into the flour. Place the sugar, whole egg, 1 egg yolk and the sunflower oil into the flour. Mix the ingredients by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until they just come together to form a dough. Add the salt and knead the dough until it is smooth and uniform, about 8 more minutes. 

2. Grease the surface of a clean and large bowl with 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil. Form the dough into a ball and place it into the bowl. Lightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 hour. Flip the dough in the bowl, so that the top of the dough is now on the bottom of the bowl and let it proof for another 45 minutes, covered.

3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece into a round ball. Place the 6 dough balls onto a lightly floured surface, gently cover the dough balls with a towel and let them proof for another 20 minutes. 

4. Roll each dough ball into a log with tapered edges, about 12 to 14 inches long. Place each log with the seam side down on the counter. Take 3 logs and place them vertically parallel to each other in front of you. If using flowers, vegetables or herbs for a seasonal challah, lay them equally and vertically on each log of dough. Braid the 3 logs of dough (with the seasonal ingredients if using) into a 3-strand braided challah (tuck the seasonal ingredients into the dough as you braid the challah). Repeat with the remaining dough logs forming another challah. Transfer each challah onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently cover with a kitchen towel and let the challahs proof for 1 more hour. 

5. Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F.

6. Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt to make an egg wash. Remove the towels from the challahs. Brush each challah with the egg wash. If using seasonal flowers, tuck them into the seams of the challah at this point.

7. Transfer the challahs into the oven and bake for about 27 to 30 minutes until golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.

8. Serve warm with a side of tahini and/or olive oil.

Artichoke Confit Challah with Saffron, Parmesan Cheese, Fennel Seeds and Flowers

Makes: 2 challahs
Total time: 45 minutes active + 4 hours inactive

Ingredients
10 fresh artichoke hearts or 12 to 14 fresh baby artichoke hearts, peeled and cleaned
4 saffron threads
Extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
6 to 8 fennel flowers

Preparation
1. Make the artichoke confit: Place the artichoke hearts into a pot and cover with olive oil until completely submerged. Add the saffron threads into the oil and stir. Place the pot over very low heat and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes until the artichokes are tender. Drain the artichokes. Allow the artichokes to cool to room temperature. Set aside.

2. Make the basic challah dough (recipe above). Once the 6 dough balls are shaped into ¼ to ⅛ inch thick rectangles, place equal amounts of the artichoke confit onto the dough rectangles in a horizontal line 1 inch away from the closest edge of the dough rectangles to you. Add ⅓ cup of the Parmesan cheese on top of the artichoke confit in each rectangle. Seal each rectangle into a long log shape by pinching the seam tightly. Place each log with the seam side down on the counter. Braid 3 of the logs into a 3 strand braided challah and repeat, braiding another challah with the remaining 3 logs. Tuck the fennel flowers along the braids of each challah in a spontaneous manner. Transfer each challah onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently cover with a kitchen towel and let the challahs proof for 1 more hour. 

3. Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F.

4. Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt to make an egg wash. Remove the towels from the challahs. Brush each challah with the egg wash and sprinkle the fennel seeds and remaining parmesan on top.

5. Transfer the challahs into the oven and bake for about 27 to 30 minutes until golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.

6. Serve warm.

Garlic Confit Challah with Basil and Pecorino Cheese

Makes: 2 challahs
Total time: 45 minutes active + 4 hours inactive

Ingredients
5 to 6 heads of fresh garlic, peeled and separated into individual garlic cloves
Extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups grated pecorino cheese
1 cup of fresh basil leaves 
6 to 8 garlic flowers

Preparation
1. Place the peeled garlic cloves into a small pot and add enough oil to completely submerge the garlic. Place the pot over very low heat and cook for about 30 minutes or until the garlic is tender. Drain the garlic. Let the garlic cool to room temperature and set aside. 

2. Make the basic challah dough (recipe above). Once the 6 dough balls are shaped into ¼ to ⅛ inch thick rectangles, place equal amounts of the garlic confit onto the dough rectangles in a horizontal line 1 inch away from the closest edge of the dough rectangles to you. Add ⅓ cup of the Pecorino cheese on top of the garlic confit in each rectangle. Seal each rectangle into a long log shape by pinching the seam tightly. Place each log with the seam side down on the counter. Braid 3 of the logs into a 3 strand braided challah and repeat, braiding another challah with the remaining 3 logs. Tuck the garlic flowers and basil leaves along the braids of each challah in a spontaneous manner. Transfer each challah onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently cover with a kitchen towel and let the challahs proof for 1 more hour. 

3. Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F.

4. Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt to make an egg wash. Remove the towels from the challahs. Brush each challah with the egg wash and sprinkle the remaining Pecorino cheese on top.

5. Transfer the challahs into the oven and bake for about 27 to 30 minutes until golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.

6. Serve warm.

Aunt Reba's Oatmeal Cookies

Makes: 60 cookies
Total Time: 1 hour active + 1 hour and 15 minutes inactive

 Ingredients
1 cup butter, cold and cut into small cubes
¾ cup light brown sugar
½  cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½  teaspoon pure almond extract 
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

Preparation
1. Place the butter, light brown sugar and white sugar into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a beater attachment. Mix on low to medium speed and after 30 seconds increase the speed to medium or medium high. Beat the mixture until it is creamed, light and fluffy. Stop the mixer. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extracts and mix again until combined. 

2. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the mixture in the bowl of the standing mixer. Mix until just combined. Stop the mixer and add the rolled oats and walnuts (if using). Mix until the dough is just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F.

4. Shape dough into ½  ounce balls (about ¾ inch in diameter). Place each ball onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The cookies will spread when baking so give them a little space. Dipo a fork into some flour and press the dough balls flat or use the bottom of a glass dipped in flour to flatten each dough ball.  Refrigerate, loosely covered, until ready to bake or bake immediately. 

5. Bake the cookies for 9 to 13 minutes or until browned and crisp. Cool on baking racks for about 15 minutes and serve.

Brenda and Esther's Zucchini Bread

Makes: 2 loaves
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 ½ cups flour
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups zucchini, shredded or grated
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 
¾ teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Additional vegetable oil or butter for greasing the loaf pans

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease 2-8 ½ by 4 ½ inch loaf pans with vegetable oil or butter.

2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and gradually add the sugar until combined well. Add the vegetable oil and mix well. Add the salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon into the egg mixture and mix well. Add the flour and zucchini into the egg mixture, alternating flour then zucchini in small amounts until combined.

3. Transfer equal amounts of the batter into the two greased loaf pans and bake for about 55 minutes or until a cake tester (or piece of dry spaghetti) comes out dry.

4. Let the baked loaves cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the loaves to a cooling rack until cool to the touch.

5. Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy.

Mehshi Laban (Zucchini Stuffed with Rice, Chickpeas and Butter)

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes active + 1 hour inactive

Ingredients
9 zucchinis
1 cup short grain or basmati rice, rinsed and drained
¾ cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, softened and cut into ½ inch cubes, divided
1 large lemon
2 cups water
2 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation
1. Bring a small pot of water to boil. When water comes to a boil, add 1 teaspoon of water and add the rice into the pot. Cook the rice for 5 minutes and drain. The rice should be partially cooked. Transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl and set aside. 

2. Prepare the zucchini: Cut about ½ inch from both ends of the zucchinis crosswise. Partially peel all the zucchinis with a striped pattern. Cut each zucchini in half crosswise. Using a zucchini corer or apple corer, carefully hollow out the inside of the zucchini. Hollow out the zucchini until the edges of the zucchini are about ¼ inch thick. Set the prepared zucchinis aside. Save the zucchini pulp for another dish, like zucchini bread.

3. Make the stuffing: Add the chickpeas, ½ of the butter cubes, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the ground black pepper into the bowl with the par cooked rice. Mix the ingredients until they are all incorporated well. Make sure the butter is well distributed. Set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

5. Stuff the zucchini: Using your hands, fill each piece of zucchini three quarters of the way with rice mixture. Once each zucchini is filled, place it side-by-side in one layer in the bottom of a large dutch oven or any oven-proof pot. Sprinkle another ½ teaspoon of salt over the zucchini. Evenly place the remaining butter over the stuffed zucchinis. Place any leftover stuffing into the pot to fill in any empty gaps without zucchinis. Place a small plate or pot lid that fits into the pot over the stuffed zucchinis to weigh them down. Cover the pot with its pot lid (in addition to the smaller sized plate or pot lid).

6. Place the pot over low heat on the stove and cook for about 10 minutes until the zucchini releases some water. In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups of water with the juice of 1 lemon until dissolved. Remove the top lid of the pot and pour the lemon and water mixture over the stuffed zucchinis until the water reaches the level of the small plate or pot lid that is weighing the zucchinis. Place the lid back onto the pot and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for 1 hour or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the top pot lid and the small plate or pot lid that is weighing the zucchinis down. Place the oven on broil or 500 degrees F and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes or until the top of the zucchinis are golden brown. Transfer the zucchinis from the oven.

7. Serve warm with a side of yogurt and cucumbers.

Pogacsa (Cheese Pastries)

Makes: About 24 pastries
Total time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Ingredients
For the dough:
1 cup milk, lukewarm
2 tablespoons fresh yeast or 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 egg yolk
⅔ cup sour cream
2 sticks or 1 cup butter, cold and grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
1 ⅓ cup hard salty cheese like kashkaval or swiss cheese, grated
5 teaspoons caraway seeds 

For the egg wash:
1 egg, beaten 

Preparation
1. Dissolve the fresh or dry yeast in a bowl with lukewarm milk with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Set aside for about 15 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and doubles in size. 

2. Place the flour into a large bowl, add the yeast, milk and sugar mixture as well as the egg yolk, sour cream, butter and salt. Mix well with your hands until the mixture starts forming a dough. Knead the dough for about 12 to 15 minutes until it is soft, not sticky and smooth. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside to res for about 45 to 60 minutes until the dough doubles in size. 

3. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin into a ¼ inch thick rectangle. The rectangle should be in a vertical orientation in front of you. Sprinkle ⅓ of the grated cheese along the whole surface of the dough. Sprinkle ⅓ of the caraway seeds evenly over the dough and cheese. Press the cheese and seeds with your hands into the dough.

4. First fold of the dough: Take the bottom edge of the dough and fold it over and onto the dough to meet the center of the dough. Take the top edge of the dough and fold it down and over to meet the bottom edge of the folded layer of dough.Take the right edge of the dough and fold it over to the left and onto the center of the folded dough. Take the left edge of the dough and fold it over and onto the right edge of the folded layers of dough. Gently press down on the folded dough and place a towel over the dough. Let it rest for about 15 minutes.

5. Uncover the fodled dough and roll it again into a ¼  inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle another third of the cheese and caraway seeds evenly over the dough. 

6. Fold the dough for the second time: It’s important to fold the dough in the same order that you folded it the first time. Take the bottom edge of the dough and fold it over and onto the dough to meet the center of the dough. Take the top edge of the dough and fold it down and over to meet the bottom edge of the folded layer of dough.Take the right edge of the dough and fold it over to the left and onto the center of the folded dough. Take the left edge of the dough and fold it over and onto the right edge of the folded layers of dough. Gently press down on the folded dough and place a towel over the dough. Let it rest for about 15 minutes.

7.  Uncover the fodled dough and roll it again into a ⅓ inch rectangle. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and caraway seeds evenly over the dough. 

8. Fold the dough for the third and final time: Take the bottom edge of the dough and fold it over and onto the dough to meet the center of the dough. Take the top edge of the dough and fold it down and over to meet the bottom edge of the folded layer of dough.Take the right edge of the dough and fold it over to the left and onto the center of the folded dough. Take the left edge of the dough and fold it over and onto the right edge of the folded layers of dough. Gently press down on the folded dough and place a towel over the dough. Let it rest for about 15 minutes.

9. Preheat the oven to 355° F.

10. Roll out the dough to a rectangle that is about ¾ inch thick. Use a 2 to 3 inch cookie cutter or the edge of a cup to cut out circles of the dough. Place the cut pieces of the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Gather the dough scraps, and reroll the dough to ¾ inches thick. Cut out the remaining pieces of dough and transfer to the baking sheet. Brush the top surface of all the pieces of dough with a beaten egg. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. 

11. Set the baked pastries aside for about 5 minutes and serve warm. 

Cook’s Note: Store the pasties in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Kim's Friday Night "Poisson Marocaine" (Moroccan Fish)

Makes: Serves 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
For the paprika oil:
½ cup paprika
¾ cup canola oil

For the saffron water:
1 teaspoon saffron threads, toasted 
1 cup boiling water 

For the fish:
1 tablespoon olive oil 
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 fresh red, green or yellow pepper, seeded and julienned
1 to 2 jalapeños (optional)
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 fresh or preserved lemon, thinly sliced into 4 to 6 pieces crosswise
4 to 6 salmon fillets, skin off about 2 inches wide
1-15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained 
¼  cup paprika oil 
4 tablespoons saffron water
1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Preparation
1. Prepare the paprika oil: Combine the paprika and oil in a jar, and shake well. Store in a cool and dry spot for about 1 day before using it.

2. Prepare the saffron water: Toast the saffron by wrapping the saffron in aluminum paper and placing in a 350 oven for no more than one minute. Remove, cool, and break the saffron threads up into tiny pieces. Transfer to a jar and pour the boiling water over the saffron to allow it to bloom. An amazing, bright color will appear. Let the water cool completely before putting on the lid. Store in a cool spot. 

3. (Optional) Roast the red, yellow or green pepper: Place the pepper directly on a medium high stove flame and rotate every 5 minutes until charred and cooked. About 10 to 15minutes. Peel, deseed and slice thinly lengthwise.

4. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, peppers, and carrots and lemon slices, and sauté until softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the fish in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the chickpeas, and pour the paprika oil and saffron water over them. Use your hands to combine well. Place the salmon and chickpeas over the cooked garlic and carrot mixture and sprinkle with the cilantro on top. If you are preparing this dish ahead of time, you can now cover the pan and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours until ready to cook. 

5. Once you’re ready to cook, bring the pan to a boil on your stovetop over medium high heat. Once it begins bubbling, reduce the temperature to low, and cover with a lid. Cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes until the salmon is cooked to your desired firmness. Serve hot or warm.

Russian-Style Infused Vodka

Sasha's Russian-Style Infused Vodka

Makes: 1 liter
Time: 20 minutes + 4-6 days of infusing

Ingredients

1 liter of good quality vodka (Sasha prefers Russian Standard, but Tito’s and Ketel One are both good options)
1 liter round or square glass bottle with a hermetic seal A funnel

Variations of Infusions:

Horseradish-Lemon Vodka:
5” piece of fresh horseradish root, cleaned, rinsed and peeled of all outer layers and dirt, cut into long matchsticks or thin ribbons (discard inner core of root)
Peel of 1 large lemon, cut in strips (do not zest, these need to be large strips of peel with no pith, removed with a peeler)

Chili Garlic Vodka:
1 serrano chili or 2-3 thai chilis, sliced in half, seeds and ribs removed - 2 whole garlic cloves, halved

Ginger Lime Vodka:
Peel of 1 large lime, cut in strips (do not zest, these need to be large strips of peel with no pith, removed with a peeler)
3” piece of fresh ginger root cleaned, peeled and rinsed of all dirt, sliced and cut into large matchsticks

Rosemary-Orange Vodka:
One whole stem of rosemary, rinsed and bent gently along stem to release oils - Peel of 1 orange, cut in strips (do not zest, these need to be large strips of peel with no pith, removed with a peeler)

Preparation
1. Push the cleaned and prepped ingredients into the empty bottle.
2. Using a funnel, pour the vodka into the bottle until full. Seal the closure and place in a dark, room temperature spot for 4-6 days, turning gently up and down to redistribute the aromatics/herbs every 1-2 days.
3. Taste after 4 days and if you like it, transfer to freezer. If you prefer a bolder flavor, seal back up and allow to infuse for 2 more days before transferring to freezer.
4. Chill in freezer 6-8 hours, or preferably overnight before drinking.

Esther's Fish Escabeche

Makes: 4 servings
Total time: 4 hours to 12 hours

Ingredients
¼ bunch cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
½ red or white onion, finely chopped
1 small green chili like jalapeño, finely chopped
½ green bell pepper, finely chopped
¾ cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
½ cup + ¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper 
¼ ground cumin
½ pound skinless sea bass or red snapper filet, sliced into 3 x 1 inch pieces
½ cup all purpose flour
4 to 6 sprigs cilantro for garnish

Preparation
1. Place the vinegar, olive oil, onion, and cilantro into a deep mixing bowl or container. Mix to combine all the ingredients well. Set aside.

2. Place about ¼ cup olive oil in a medium sized pot over medium high heat. There should be about ½  inch of oil in the pot. 

3. Sprinkle the pieces of fish with salt. Place flour into a small bowl. Dip a piece of fish in the flour and shake off any excess flour. Dip the fish into the oil, if it sizzles vigorously, the oil is ready for frying. Place the piece of fish into the oil and continue the process with another 4 to 6 pieces of fish. Fry the fish on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the fish onto a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess oil. Continue frying the rest of the fish in batches. 

4. Place all the fried fish into the bowl and make sure all the pieces of fish are submerged in the liquid. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside for at least 2 hours before serving. The escabeche can marinate up to 8 hours, overnight, as long a it is stored in the refrigerator. 

5. Serve the escabeche at room temperature. 

Carol's Mandelbrot

Reprinted with permission from The Jewish Cookbook, by Leah Koenig (Phaidon, 2019)

Chef’s Note: Like Italian biscotti, mandelbrot (“almond bread” in Yiddish), are baked twice, yielding a crunchy cookie that goes perfectly with tea or coffee. This particular mandelbrot recipe, which in my estimation is heads and shoulders above any other I’ve tried, is the one my mother, Carol Koenig, made when I was growing up. She got the recipe from her friend, Dr. Minnie Frank, who was something of a surrogate grandmother to me. The crisp texture and generous dusting of cinnamon sugar on these nutty cookies (a hallmark of Ashkenazi baking) makes them truly irresistible.

Makes: about 40 cookies
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter 
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or white vinegar
1 cup finely chopped roasted, unsalted almonds or walnut halves
1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. 

3. In a stand mixer (or using a handheld electric mixer and a large bowl), beat the butter and 1 cup sugar on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until pale and creamy 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat to combine, followed by the vanilla and lemon juice, beating after each addition. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions and beat on low until just combined, then fold in the almonds with a spatula. The dough should be soft and spreadable.

4. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Set 2 parts of the dough on one of the prepared baking sheets and use a butter knife or offset spatula to spread each part into a long, flat rectangle about 9x4 inches and about ½ inch thick, leaving about 2 inches in between. Repeat with the remaining 2 parts of dough and the second baking sheet.

5. Bake, rotating the pans front to back halfway through, until puffed and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly (leave the oven on). Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1 cup sugar and the cinnamon.

6. Slice the rectangles crosswise into pieces ¾ inch wide. Turn the pieces on their sides and sprinkle generously with half of the cinnamon sugar. Return to the oven and bake 10 more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven again, flip the cookies to the other side, and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Return to the oven and bake until firm and crisp, another 10 minutes. Set the baking sheets on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the racks to cool completely.

Pauline's Matbucha

Shared by: Gabriel Israel

Makes: 2 to 4 servings
Total time: 5 hours

Ingredients
6 vine tomatoes ½ cup canola oil, divided
10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon harissa 
1 teaspoon honey 
Juice from ½  lemonSalt to taste 
2 green chili peppers, thinly sliced lengthwise
4 red bell peppers, thinly sliced lengthwise

Preparation
1. Fill up a medium pot with water about ¾ the way up and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Place the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil, about 10 to 15 minutes. Fill up a medium bowl halfway up with cold water and add a handful of ice. Set aside. Score an “X” on the bottom of each tomato with the tip of a knife. Once the water is boiling gently place the tomatoes into the water and boil for about 10 seconds or until the tomato skins loosen up from the tomatoes. USe a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatoes from the pot into the bowl with ice water. LEt the tomatoes cool for about 3 to 5 minutes until easy to handle. Peel the skin off of each tomato and discard the tomato skins. Chop the peeled tomatoes into 1 inch cubes.

2. Place a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Place ¼ cup of canola oil into the pan and add the garlic. Fry until the garlic is golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, harissa, honey, lemon juice and salt into the pan. Stir the mixture to combine and continue cooking for about 3 minutes. Lower the heat to low and cook for 1 hour, stirring every few minutes to prevent the mixture from scorching.  

3. In the meanwhile, place the remaining ¼ cup of canola oil into another medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the green chili peppers and the bell peppers into the pan and saute for about 5 to 8 minutes until the peppers are bright in color. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. 

4. Once the tomato based mixture has cooked for 1 hour, add the fried peppers and frying oil into the tomato mixture. Continue cooking this mixture on low heat for about 2 to 4 more hours stirring every 20 minutes or so until the mixture is thick like a chutney. The longer the mixture cooks, the richer and more flavorful the matbuch a will be. 

5. Transfer the matbucha and serve it immediately with a side of challah. Or transfer the matbucha into a heat proof container and let it cool for about 1 hour. Store it in the refrigerator overnight and enjoy it the next day either cold or at room temperature.

Ferst Family Frittata

Shared by: Devra Ferst

In the Ferst family, frittata is the ultimate way to use up leftover vegetables and nubs of cheese. Almost any simply seasoned roasted vegetables work well in frittata, but if you don’t have them on hand, Devra recommends this combination. 

Makes 2-4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
10-12 grape tomatoes (approximately 1 cup)
8-10 small golden potatoes, cut in half (approximately 1 cup)
1 cup thinly sliced lacinato kale
6 eggs, beaten 
⅓ cup goat cheese, crumbled or parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F

2. Prepare the vegetables: Fill a small saucepan with water, add potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Boil and allow to cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

3. Meanwhile, In a heavy-bottomed skillet, combine the onions and 1 tablespoon olive oil, cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent and just starting to brown, approximately 15 minutes.

4. In a separate cast iron skillet, stir together the tomatoes and remaining 1 tablespoons of olive oil. Tuck into the oven and roast until tomato skins start to burst, approximately 15 minutes.

5. Add the cooked onions and potatoes to the pan with the cooked tomatoes, add kale and combine gently until all leaves are coated. Season with salt and pepper and spread fillings evenly across pan.

6. Pour eggs evenly over vegetables, season again with salt and pepper, sprinkle cheese across top. Tuck into oven.

7. Bake until center is set, approximately 12-15 minutes.

8. Broil for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully, to create a golden crust. 

9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Michal's Matbucha

Ingredients
For the paprika oil:
½ cup sweet paprika
½ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil

For the matbucha:
3 pounds plum tomatoes or any ripe tomatoes
2 red bell peppers
1 jalapeno pepper
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup paprika oil

Preparation
1. Make the paprika oil: place the paprika and oil into a jar. Carefully stir or shake the mixture until combined. Seal the jar with a lid and set aside for 8 hours or overnight. 

2. Preheat the oven to the broil setting at 500 degrees or to 450 degrees at the roasting setting. 

3. Prepare the tomatoes: using a paring knife, carefully score a shallow “X” shape on the bottom of each tomato, opposite to the stem side. Place the tomatoes into a large heatproof bowl and completely cover the tomatoes with boiling water. Let the tomatoes sit for 5-10 minutes, or until you can easily peel the skin off of the tomatoes. Carefully remove the tomatoes from the water. When cooled, use your hands or a paring knife to peel the tomatoes  and discard the skins and core. Slice the tomatoes in half and squeeze the juice and seeds into a bowl and discard. Roughly chop the tomatoes into medium sized pieces and set aside.

3. Cook the tomatoes: place a wide pan or shallow pot over medium heat and add the tomatoes. Once the tomato juices start simmering, continue cooking them for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking the tomatoes (mixing occasionally) for 1 hour to an 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the majority of the tomato juices have evaporated.

4. Broil the peppers: in the meanwhile, place the whole peppers and jalapeno onto a sheet tray. Broil or roast the peppers in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the top of the peppers is charred. Transfer the tray from the oven and rotate the peppers so the non-charred side of the peppers is up. Place the tray back in the oven and continue cooking until the peppers are charred all around, about 10-15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately place theppers into a large heatproof bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the peppers steam for about 10-15 minutes. Uncover the bowl and once the peppers are cool enough to handle, carefully peel, deseed and destem the peppers. Roughly chop the peppers into medium sized pieces. Set the pepper pieces aside. 

5. Finish the matbucha: once the tomato juices have evaporated from the tomatoes that have been cooking, add the peppers, garlic, salt, ground black pepper and paprika oil. Stir well and continue cooking on low for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the tomatoes and peppers have cooked down to about half of their volume and become a jammy, spreadable dip. 

Cook’s Note: Save the remaining paprika oil for frying eggs or for roasting potatoes. Also, feel free to use any leftover matbucha as the base for a shakshuka!