8 ounces cream cheese

8 ounces SALTED butter

2 cups all purpose flour

Confectioner’s sugar

1/2-cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2-cup raisins

1/2-cup walnuts, chopped

1.  Cream the cheese and butter together on high speed with an electric mixer until well combined and light and fluffy (the mixture should feather out from the edge of the bowl).  Scrape down sides of bowl.

2. Add flour and turn your mixer on and off only until dough looks like the flour has been incorporated. Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly toss it on a smooth surface until it forms a compact mass.

2.  Divide mixture into 8 cylinders and refrigerate until dough is firm.

3. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts in a bowl.  Set aside.

4. Roll each portion of dough onto a board that is heavily “floured” with confectioner’s sugar.  Roll out into a 6 x 9 inch rectangle.

5.  After the dough is rolled out sprinkle with some of the sugar/nut mixture. Roll covered dough into a log from the long side. Pinch the bottom seam together and tuck the ends slightly under.

6.  Cut filled logs into 8 or 9 pieces and place on an ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheet.

7.  Bake in a 350F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.  Cool completely before freezing.

I now suspect that the four decades of oppression and scarcity of food during World War II and its aftermath under the Communist regime kept many Hungarian Jews from observing religious holidays and preparing the foods associated with these special occasions. It was in these austere times that the lowly potato and cabbage rose to prominence in Hungarian kitchens.

The following Rosh Hashanah recipes recall that historical period, though with a modern twist. Enjoy them—and may your New Year be filled with health and happiness.

Hungarian Cabbage Strudel (Káposztás Rétes)

Food encased in dough is popular for Rosh Hashanah because of the visual reminders of being “sealed” in the Book of Life in the coming year. The following strudel dish, reminiscent of apple strudel (for which Hungarians are renowned) but including cabbage and caraway seeds (indigenous to Hungarian cooking) and discarding cinnamon and sugar, demonstrates the creativity of Hungarian Jewish cooks in times of scarcity.

1 pound cabbage (half of a medium head)
1⁄2 Tablespoon salt
2–4 Tablespoons unsalted butter or 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
3 Tablespoons dried bread crumbs
Up to 1 stick unsalted butter for brushing Phyllo dough
8 sheets of Phyllo dough, defrosted (see tidbit)

1. Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise, then thinly slice into shreds crosswise. Place in a large bowl, add 1⁄2 tablespoon salt to cure the cabbage, and toss. Set it aside for 15 minutes to half an hour.
2. Using strong paper towels or a clean cloth towel, squeeze the water out of the cabbage and pat it dry.
3. Heat a 10-inch frying pan over high heat for 20 seconds. Add 2–4 Tablespoons butter or butter/olive oil blend, allowing it to melt but not brown.
4. Mix in the cabbage and stir over medium heat for 10–15 minutes until the cabbage is soft and slightly browned.
5. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and caraway seeds (if using).
6. Place the cabbage in a bowl to cool.
7. Melt the remaining butter. Set aside.
8. Remove 4 sheets of defrosted Phyllo dough (keeping the remaining sheets folded and covered by a sheet of plastic wrap that is re-covered with a damp paper towel). Spread out a thin towel, sheet of waxed paper, or plastic wrap that is as long as the dough. Place one sheet of Phyllo on the towel and brush it liberally with some of the melted butter.
9. Place another sheet of dough on top of the first and brush with melted butter.
10. Repeat this with the remaining 2 sheets.
11. Lightly sprinkle the bread crumbs over the last sheet and then place half of the cabbage in a 2-inch-thick strip parallel to the short edge of the dough. Leave 1 inch of room on the side ends so the cabbage can be encased.
12. Using the towel or plastic wrap, fold the dough tightly over the cabbage. Brush the 2 long edges of the dough with butter, then fold them in about 1 inch to encase the cabbage. Lift up the towel to help you tightly fold the roll of dough. Place the finished roll seam-side down on a parchment-lined, low-sided cookie sheet.
13. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough and the filling.
14. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter and lightly cut on the diagonal through a few layers of dough with a sharp knife at 1-inch intervals.
15. Bake the strudels in the center of the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cut through slash marks and serve. Serves 4–5 for lunch or 8–10 appetizer portions.

Tina’s Tidbits:

• To prevent Phyllo dough from cracking when handled, thaw it in its sealed box in the refrigerator for 24 hours, or alternatively thaw on the kitchen counter away from direct heat or sunlight for about 4 hours. Do not try to defrost the dough in the microwave!
• If your dough is stuck together and cannot be rolled, crumble it, toss with a stick of melted butter, and place half of it in the bottom of a 13″ x 9″ pan. Cover with the cabbage mixture and then with the rest of the Phyllo crumbles mixed with butter. Bake at 375˚F for about 20–25 minutes, until the Phyllo is golden. Cut into squares and serve.
• Any recipe using Phyllo dough may be frozen before baking so long as the filling is pre-cooked. Just don’t freeze raw fruits and vegetables or uncooked eggs, as they will crystallize and become grainy.

Hungarian Potato Dumplings with Prune Filling (Szilvas Gombak)

Whenever I am asked about Hungarian cooking, the number one request is a recipe for Shlishkes (potato dough noodles with bread crumbs). So here is an elaborate, yet easy variation to complement your Rosh Hashanah festivities. If the scraps of dough, rolled into 1⁄2-inch-thick logs and then cut into 1-inch pieces, are boiled and treated the same way as the dumplings, you’ve got Shlishkes. Whereas in Hungary this is served as a second course, here you might want to present it for dessert.

2–3 medium Russet potatoes—about 3 pounds
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature (or 1⁄2 cup oil or chicken fat)
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups flour
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
18 pitted prunes
2 cups breadcrumbs, preferably freshly made
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons finely ground hazelnuts or walnuts

1. Bake the potatoes in a 350˚F oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until a fork can easily be inserted and removed from the potatoes. Set aside until they are easy to handle.
2. Scoop the insides of the warm potatoes into a large bowl. Mash until there are no lumps. You should have about 2 cups.
3. Add the butter, mixing with a rubber spatula until it is thoroughly incorporated.
4. Add the egg and salt, blending well.
5. Stir in the flour. Mix first with the spatula and then with your hands, kneading 5 or 6 times until you form a smooth ball of dough. Divide the dough in half for easier handling.
6. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board or counter until it is 1⁄4-inch thick. Cut out 3-inch circles. Save the dough scraps.
7. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small dish. Toss in the prunes, a few at a time, to completely coat.
8. Place a prune in the center of each dough circle and fold up the sides, pinching the dough together to completely encase the prunes. Shape into a round ball and set aside, the seam (pinched) side down.
9. Repeat with the remaining cut circles.
10. Bring a 4-quart pot of salted water to boil. Drop all the dumplings into the pot and cook for 5–10 minutes or until they float on the surface. Place in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain and move to a buttered dish large enough to hold both batches of dumplings.
11. Repeat the steps above with the remaining dough. Set the scraps aside.
12. When all the dumplings are made, heat a large frying pan for 20 seconds and then melt the 4 Tablespoons of butter. Add the bread crumbs, stirring over medium-high heat for about 1 minute, until all the crumbs are coated and begin to crisp.
13. Mix in the dumplings, gently stirring them with a rubber spatula and turning them over to reheat and coat with the buttered crumbs.
14. Place the dumplings in a serving dish and top with any remaining crumbs.
15. Combine the finely ground nuts with the remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture and sprinkle over the crumbs. Serves 6–8 as a side dish.

Tina’s Tidbits:

• To achieve smooth mashed potatoes, mash the dry potatoes before adding any other ingredients.
• Never use a food processor to mash potatoes or you’ll get wallpaper paste!

Tina D. Wasserman, a member of Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, is the author of the URJ Press book, Entree to Judaism. She also teaches at her own cooking school, writes a kosher cooking newsletter on the Internet, and serves as a culinary scholar-in-residence throughout the U.S.

The use of fresh herbs such as basil, chives, dill, parsley, mint, tarragon, and marjoram add to an abundance of flavors in Persian cuisine. Onions are very popular too in all forms, including scallion and leeks. Garlic, however, was not used in ancient Persian cooking, though modern-day recipes will call for it.

Exploring some of Toronto’s ethnic eateries while attending the 2009 Biennial, it was my good fortune to meet Samira Mohyeddin, who established Banu Restaurant after she and her brother fled to Canada from Iran after the 1979 revolution. Samira points out, in a Q&A on the back of Banu’s menu, that the revolution brought “fascist theocrats” to power who restricted Iranians’ lives and outlawed the production and consumption of all alcohol, including the Shiraz region’s famous wine. Banu’s menu reflects the flavors and fragrances of Samira’s homeland which she loves and misses dearly.

Enjoy these Persian recipes—one right out of Samira’s kitchen—and eat in good health!

Persian Zeitun Parvardeh

Initially, I thought this flavorful dish from Banu Restaurant would be easy to recreate because the ingredients were listed on the menu. However, it wasn’t so easy to find green Calamata olives and golpar/angelica! Even if you too can’t find all of the traditional ingredients (which my research uncovered) for the treat, the combination of garlic, walnuts and sweet/tart pomegranate molasses with the slightly acidic olives will push this dish to the forefront of your cocktail table.

2 cups pitted, unstuffed green olives, rinsed and drained (olives with pits may be used)
1⁄2 cup walnuts, toasted (or 2 Tablespoons walnuts and 2 Tablespoons almond butter)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1⁄2 teaspoon golpar (angelica), in the parsley family but sweeter, available in Middle Eastern markets (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon water or olive oil, if needed

1. Place the olives in a 11⁄2-quart bowl.
2. Rinse the original olive jar.
3. Process the toasted walnuts in a small processor workbowl until they’re chopped almost to the consistency of a paste. Add to the olives.
4. Mix in the remaining ingredients and, using a rubber spatula, combine thoroughly. If the mixture appears too thick, add water or olive oil.
5. Place the olives and the sauce in the reserved jar. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. Shake the jar occasionally to distribute the sauce. Serve.

Yield: 12–15 servings.

Tina’s Tidbits:

• When making a sauce that includes finely ground nuts in small quantities, you can often substitute nut butter for 1⁄4 of the volume of ground nuts (an option in this recipe).
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts yields 1⁄3 cup firmly packed ground walnuts

Persian Nan o Paneer [Bread with Cheese]

A Persian cheese plate is a perfect starter for a hot summer meal. Persian Lighvan cheese made from sheep’s milk is traditionally used in this dish, but as it’s hard to find, feta cheese—especially Bulgarian feta—is a good substitute. The fresh herbs, eaten as a main component in this dish, beautifully complement the cheese.

8 ounces Bulgarian or other fine feta cheese
1⁄2 cup large walnut pieces or halves
1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaves
1⁄4 cup fresh mint
1⁄4 cup fresh tarragon
1⁄3 cup imported sour cherry preserves
Small watermelon wedges or cucumber slices
1–2 sheets sesame Barbari bread, pita bread, or soft flour tortillas

1. Rinse and drain the feta cheese. Place on a 12-inch serving platter.
2. Toast the walnuts in a 350°F oven for 5–6 minutes or until the nuts begin to smell fragrant. Place on the platter near the cheese.
3. Rinse the herbs, pat dry, and remove the leaves from the stems. Place the leaves in little mounds on the platter.
4. Add 1⁄3 cup of sour cherry preserves on the platter along with small watermelon wedges or cucumber slices.
5. Set out another plate or basket for bread.
6. To eat, place a small piece of cheese in the center of a portion of the bread, top the cheese with walnuts and a big pinch of one or more of the fresh herbs, and finish with a small teaspoonful of the cherry preserves. The fruit or cucumber may be added to the “sandwich” or eaten separately.

Serves 4.

Tina’s Tidbits:

• Never let nuts get too golden in the oven. They will continue to “fry” in their own oils even after being removed from the heat source.
• When purchasing nuts, double their weight to estimate the volume. For example, 8 ounces of nuts will measure 2 cups or double the weight by volume.

Persian Mast o Khiar-Cucumber Yogurt Salad

While Greek tsatsiki offers up a blend of refreshing cucumber, yogurt, and dill, the Persian version features the elegant and elaborate use of fresh herbs and fruits. And thinning this mixture with about 1 cup of water will give you an incredibly delicious cold soup!

1 cup thick Greek yogurt—whole or 2%
1⁄4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1⁄4 cup golden or dark raisins, coarsely chopped
1⁄2 of 1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch dice (approximately 3⁄4 cup)
2 Tablespoons fresh mint, finely minced
2 Tablespoons fresh dill, finely minced
2 Tablespoons fresh chives, finely minced
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, finely minced
2 Tablespoons dried rose petals, crushed or minced (available at Middle Eastern markets)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Additional whole dried rose petals for garnish (optional)
1 Tablespoon finely ground walnuts for garnish (optional)

1. Place the yogurt in a 2-quart bowl and stir until it’s smooth.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Wipe the bowl edges as needed or pour the mixture into a serving bowl.
3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to blend.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle on additional rose petals and ground walnuts if desired.
5. Serve with soft Middle Eastern bread.

Serves 4–6.

Tina’s Tidbits:

• Greek yogurt or Middle Eastern Labne is much thicker in consistency than American varieties of yogurt. When a recipe requires a thick yogurt base and Greek yogurt is not available, you can substitute sour cream.
• Seeding a cucumber creates a less watery finished product. In this recipe, since you are working with thick Greek yogurt, removing the seeds is optional.

Persian Advieh (Spice Mix)

Israel’s multiethnic environment has introduced us to many examples of Baharat (spice blends used in cooking throughout the Middle East and North Africa). While the base ingredients in this Persian mix are ubiquitous in all Baharat, only Persian cuisine includes dried rose petals, which impart a light, sweet, floral accent to any grilled meat or fish.

2 Tablespoons cinnamon
2 Tablespoons ground cardamom
2 Tablespoons dried rose petals (from a Middle Eastern market or online)
1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1. Grind the ingredients in a coffee grinder or spice mill until almost all the roses are finely ground.
2. Place the ground spices in an airtight jar in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze indefinitely in an airtight container until ready to use.
3. Add 1 Tablespoon of this mixture to 1 pound of ground beef or ground bison to make grilled kabobs or burgers. Alternatively, mix 1 Tablespoon advieh to 1 Tablespoon olive oil and rub on the outside of fish fillets before grilling.

Tina’s Tidbit:

• When using dried spices as a rub on poultry, fish, or meat, always lightly salt your food first and then combine the spice with a little oil. The rub will then adhere to the food, flavoring it well.

Tina D. Wasserman, a member of Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, is the author of the new URJ Press book, Entree to Judaism. She also teaches at her own cooking school, writes a kosher cooking newsletter on the Internet, and serves as a culinary scholar-in-residence throughout the U.S.

Her grandmother, who had emigrated from Riga, Latvia, was a renowned cook and hotelier (and a sharp poker player—which drew many boarders to her hotel). At Passover time she’d serve her freshly made gefilte fish using 5 varieties of fish. Kyra’s father Simeon, who then owned the only winery that produced kosher wine for Pesach in South Africa, served his own vineyard’s wine; and her Uncle Issy, the largest candy manufacturer in the Southern Hemisphere, brought an assortment of his candies. Grandmother Katie Osrin supplied desserts—never fewer than 5 choices, including chocolate-dipped candied ginger, almond cakes, apricot pletzlach (dried apricots, ground, cooked into a thick dry paste, rolled in sugar, and dried), and carrot ingerblach (similar to pletzlach but made with grated carrots and ginger). Fruit-stuffed chremslach, or matzo meal pancakes, were also served. Kyra’s eyes lit up when she described her grandmother’s geshmirta matzah: milk-soaked matzah coated with lightly sweetened cream cheese and then broiled to a light golden brown.

This Passover, why not add South African cuisine to your family’s memories. Eat in good health!

Roasted Chicken, South African Style

This adaptation of Katie Osrin’s roast chicken—a family favorite—includes potatoes, apples, and ginger. Many varieties of apples are cultivated in South Africa, and the use of ginger is directly related to the spice route that made its way around the Cape of Africa.

1 whole chicken (4–5 pounds)

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger

1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper

11⁄2 Tablespoons grated, peeled, fresh gingerroot

1 apple (Fuji, Gala, or Jonagold)

1 medium onion

8 small red new potatoes, cut into quarters

2 Tablespoons rendered chicken fat or pareve margarine

1 Tablespoon honey (optional)

1⁄2 cup apple juice

1⁄2 cup chicken broth or water

1. Using running tap water, rinse the chicken cavity well and drain. Place the chicken in a roasting pan large enough to leave 1–2 inches open around the sides.
2. Combine the salt, ground ginger, and black pepper in a small glass dish.
3. Sprinkle 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt-ginger-black pepper mixture throughout the inside of the chicken cavity and rub it into the cavity walls. Set aside.
4. Core the (unpeeled) apple and cut into 16 pieces. Peel the onion and cut it into 16 pieces as well.
5. Stuff the chicken cavity with as many apple and onion pieces as you can fit. Place any remaining pieces, along with the quartered potatoes, around the chicken in the pan.
6. Thoroughly combine the chicken fat with the remaining dry spices, grated ginger, and honey (if using). Spread the mixture evenly all over the chicken skin, massaging the mixture well.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover the chicken with a tent of foil, making sure that the shiny side of foil is facing you.
8. Pour the apple juice and chicken broth around the bird in the pan’s base.
9. Roast for 1 to 11⁄2 hours (if the bird is very large), then remove the foil tent. Baste with some of the juices at the bottom of the pan. Continue roasting the chicken until the leg can be moved easily, the breast meat is tender when pierced with a fork, and the skin is golden brown, approximately 15 to 30 minutes more depending on the size of the chicken.
10. Let the chicken sit for 10 minutes to reabsorb some of its juices.
11. Carve and serve with the roasted vegetables and accumulated gravy.

Serves 4–5 people.

Tina’s Tidbit

• Be sure to salt the cavity of a chicken. It not only flavors the meat, it also prevents bacteria from growing.
• To prevent poultry from overcooking, cover with the shiny side of foil facing you. Whereas the shiny side reflects the heat, the dull side out will absorb it, too rapidly cooking the white meat, making it dry and pasty.
• Glazing your roasted poultry with a touch of honey will insure a beautiful golden brown skin on the bird.

Bubele, Modern Style

Last year a Reform Judaism magazine reader asked me to help re-create her grandmother’s recipe for Bubele, a matzah meal fritter similar to chremslach. I researched it for months and then, thanks to Kyra, who gave me a South African Union of Jewish Women cookbook, I found a recipe! The following is my adaptation for the modern cook.

1 cup matzo meal

1⁄4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger

1⁄4 cup seedless raisins

2 Tablespoons finely ground almonds

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 apple, peeled and coarsely grated (Gala or Fuji)

1⁄4 cup Passover wine, preferably sweet to semi sweet

2 Tablespoons honey (or to taste)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3⁄4 cup water or more as needed

Vegetable oil for frying

2 Tablespoons sugar with 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1. Combine the first 6 dry ingredients in a 2-quart medium bowl.
2. Place the lemon juice in a 1-quart bowl and grate the peeled apple into the bowl. If you’re grating with a food pro­cessor, immediately mix the apple with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
3. Add the wine, honey, and eggs to the apple mixture. Combine well.
4. Stir mixture into dry ingredients.
5. Add water until the mixture is a thick batter, but thin enough to drop from a spoon.
6. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a frying pan until it’s hot, but not smoking.
7. Drop 2 tablespoons of batter at a time into the hot oil. Repeat with additional spoonfuls, being sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides, for no more than 1 minute per side.
8. Remove the Bubele with a slotted spatula or spoon. Drain on paper towels. If preparing as dessert, combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top while the Bubele is still hot. Serves 4–6

Tina’s Tidbit

• Don’t overcrowd the food in your frying pan. This is the best way to keep oil at an even frying temperature, which will insure a light, crispy end product.
• Drain fried foods on a plate covered with crumpled paper towels. You’ll create a larger surface area for absorbing more oil and use fewer paper towels—saving trees at the same time!

Tina D. Wasserman, a member of Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, is the author of the new URJ Press book, Entree to Judaism, from which this column is adapted. She also teaches at her own cooking school, writes a kosher cooking newsletter on the Internet, and serves as a culinary scholar-in-residence throughout the U.S.

MOHNBRODT

3 3/4 cup flour

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut oil

3 eggs

Zest 1 lemon, grated

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

1Tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2. Cream sugar and oil on high speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, zest, juice, and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.

3. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

4. Lightly oil your hands and then divide dough into four portions.  Lightly handle each portion as you form a loose log that is about 10 inches long and 2 inches wide.  Place 2 logs on each parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Gently shape the soft dough into a uniform log that is now probably 12 inches long.

5. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

6. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown,.

7.Remove the loaves from the oven.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Slice horizontally into 1/2 inch cookies.  Place cut side up and bake for another 5 minutes.  Turn cookies over and bake for another 5 minutes.  Cool and then store in air tight container for 2 weeks or freeze.

This is a very easy recipe, especially because you don’t have to make the dough from scratch.  I have given you detailed steps but in no time all of the cookies can be prepared.

Purchased puff pastry sheets are pareve so this can be served with tea after a meat meal.

EASY PALMIERS

1 17.3 ounce box of puff pastry sheets

Granulated sugar

1. Remove the two frozen sheets of dough from the box and defrost at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

2. Spread about ¾ cup of sugar over a pastry board or countertop and press the sugar into both sides of one sheet.

3.Roll the sheet lengthwise on the sugar surface until the dough is slightly thinner and about 16 inches long.  Do not change the width of the sheet.

4.Find the center of the dough on the long side and make a little mark with a knife.

5. Starting from each short end, tightly roll up the dough so that each side meets in the middle.  Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.  Repeat the procedure with the other sheet of dough.

6.When ready to bake, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil lightly   sprayed with cooking oil.

7.Slice the dough into ½ inch slices.

8.Use a rolling pin to gently roll each slice-cut side down- in the sugar until the dough is about 1/8 inch thick.  Turn the dough over and coat the other cut side with sugar and then place it on a cookie sheet.

9.Repeat the rolling and coating of each slice and place it on the cookie sheet with about 1 ½ inches between pastries.

10. Place in a preheated 400’F oven and bake for 12- 15 minutes or until the bottom and sides of the cookies are caramelized.

11.  Remove sheets from the oven and gently turn the cookies over using two spatulas.

12.  Return to the oven and bake for another 3-5 minutes until tops are golden.

13. When thoroughly cool remove from sheets and store in an airtight container for a week or freeze until needed.

HAMAN’S “EARS”

2 cups all purpose flour plus additional for rolling

2 Tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 Tablespoon olive oil

2 Tablespoons Brandy

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Vegetable oil for frying

Confectioner’s sugar

1. Combine the first four ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until well combined.  Proceed immediately to add this mixture to the flour and stir by hand or machine until soft, slightly sticky dough is formed.
3. Turn out dough onto a generously floured board and gently knead the dough for 15 strokes to form a soft ball of dough.  Cover with the inverted used mixing bowl and let the dough rest for ½ hour.
4. Divide the dough in half and roll one half on a moderately floured board until it is very thin 1/16^th of an inch and almost transparent.
5. Pour three inches of oil into a deep pot or fryer and heat to 375’ F.
6. Cut strips of dough that are about 4 inches in length by 1 inch.  As you lift up each strip the dough will stretch a little; this is o.k.  Bring the two ends of dough together and lightly press them to form a sagging O.
7. Fry dough 3 or 4 pieces at a time until golden. Drain on crumpled paper towels.
8. When all the dough is fried, place on a serving tray and sprinkle liberally with Confectioner’s sugar while still warm.  Serve.

4 Tablespoons margarine (you can use butter if you are not kosher)
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1/4 cup dry white wine
2-3 pounds chicken wing drummettes or chicken cut into 1/8ths
1 cup mango chutney
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 Tablespoon finely chopped scallion
2 Tablespoons finely chopped peanuts

——————————————————————

1.    Melt the margarine in a saucepan and stir in the curry powder.  Cook for 2-3 minutes and add the wine.  Remove from heat.

2.     Remove any excess fat from the chicken parts.  Wash and pat dry.  If using whole wings, discard the tip and cut the two bone section and drummettes apart.

3.    Place the chicken parts in a roasting pan and baste with the curry sauce.  Bake for 20 minutes in a 350F Oven.

4.    Chop up any large pieces of mango in the chutney and then spread the chutney over the chicken parts.  Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.

5.    Place the chicken on a serving platter and reduce the sauce by 1/3.

6.    Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the coconut, scallions and peanuts.  Serve.

NOTE:  May be made in advance and reheated in the microwave or oven.  Garnish with the coconut, scallion, and peanuts only after reheating and before serving.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS WITH DRIED FRUITS AND NUTS

8 ounces Israeli couscous
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or pareve margarine
1/4 -cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 7-ounce package of chopped mixed dried fruit, or 1½ cups assorted dried fruits
1/3 cup whole almonds, roasted and coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons pine nuts, lightly roasted
1/3-cup water or milk with 1 drop of almond extract added
Cinnamon and medjool date halves for garnish
_______________________________________________________
1.    Cook couscous according to package directions.  Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.

2.    Melt the butter in a 1 cup bowl.  Add the sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine.  Pour the mixture over the couscous to coat thoroughly.

3.    Add the dried fruit and toasted nuts.

4.    Mix the teaspoon of almond extract into the water or milk and then add just enough to moisten the couscous.  Do not add too much or the mixture will be runny.

5.    Pile the couscous into a pyramid shape on a clean serving platter.  Sprinkle with additional cinnamon and garnish with the medjool date halves.

Serves 10 or more people as part of a holiday buffet.

Tina’s Tidbit:

• An 8 ounce box of couscous contains more than a cup of couscous so add more water to the pot to keep the proportion of liquid to couscous consistent

• If you need to make the couscous in advance, stop after step two and refrigerate the couscous.  When ready to complete bring to room temperature or warm in a microwave for a minute before proceeding to step 3
• If you prefer to serve this pareve, use water or coconut milk for the milk and pareve margarine for the butter

LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES

1 Tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1-cup whole milk ricotta
2 eggs
2 Tablespoon light brown sugar
Zest of 1/2  medium lemon, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8-teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4  teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons whole-wheat flour
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
Unsalted butter for frying
______________________________________________________
1.    Place the 1 Tablespoon of butter in a 1 1/2 quart glass bowl and microwave on high for 40 seconds or until butter is melted.

2.    Add the ricotta and eggs and mix well with a whisk to thoroughly combine.

3.    Add the brown sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, nutmeg and salt as well as the two flours and stir well.

4.    Heat a griddle over medium high heat and rub the end of a stick of butter all over the surface of the pan to coat it well.

5.    Drop heaping Tablespoons of batter on to the griddle and cook for 3 minutes or until the underside of the pancake is golden brown and the top is slightly dry.

6.    Gently flip the pancakes over (it might be easier to use 2 small spatulas to do this) and cook for another 2 minutes until edges are barely crisp and both sides are golden brown.

7.    Serve drizzled with additional melted butter, honey, or a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Yield: About 20 silver dollar sized pancakes

Note: recipe may be doubled if desired.

Tina’s Tidbits:

•    These pancakes are light as air and delicate so turning is best achieved using two spatulas, one in each hand to evenly brown both sides.

•    Whole wheat flour contains more gluten than white flour so less is needed in delicate foods to bind ingredients together.

•    A rasp-type grater like the Micro plane© is perfect for creating fine shards of lemon zest that will flavor the batter evenly without any bitter white pith from the inner peel.