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April 15, 2011
Get ready to eat lots!
This year’s recipes differ from traditional fare.
EILEEN GOLTZ ORTHODOX UNION
On Passover, we’re all looking for those new and different meals or snacks that aren’t the same old same old recycled boring ones. This year, shake up your Pesach menus with the following special and fun dairy or pareve (can be consumed with either milk or meat) recipes.
SWEET APPLE MATZAH MEAL PANCAKES (dairy or pareve)
1 cup matzah meal
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 tbsp. sugar
8 oz. club soda
3 egg whites
oil, for frying
2 granny smith apples, cored and sliced in rounds
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
In a bowl, combine the matzah meal, salt, sugar whole eggs and club soda. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While the batter is resting, in a skillet melt the butter or margarine and sauté the apples with the sugar and cinnamon. Cook four to five minutes, until the apples are soft but not mushy. Place the slices in a bowl with the sauce. Do not clean out the pan but set it aside. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they become stiff peaks. Fold them into the matzah meal mixture. Heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot, drop the pancake batter by the spoonful into the pan. Brown lightly on both sides. Serve with apple rounds and syrup on top. Serves four.
GRANOLA (pareve)
3 cups matzah farfel
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped apricots
1/4 tsp. salt
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place all the ingredients in a bowl, stirring until well mixed. Grease a cookie sheet with sides and spread the mixture evenly on it. Bake for 75 minutes or until the mixture browns. (Watch this carefully after 50 minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn.) Stir occasionally. Can be made a week or two in advance. Store in an airtight container. Makes five to six cups.
PIZZA (dairy)
Crust:
1 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups fine matzah meal
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. oregano
5 large eggs
Topping:
1 to 2 large tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1/2 to 1 cup black olives, chopped
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
Oregano, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place the water and oil in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Add the matzah meal and oregano. Mix and return to a medium heat, stirring constantly for four minutes. Add the Parmesan cheese and continue cooking, stirring for one minute. Let the dough cool for about five minutes. Beat in one egg at a time until all the eggs have been added. (I use an electric mixer for this part.) Spread the dough onto the parchment paper in a large circle or two smaller ones. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the crust from the oven. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the crust and top with the chopped tomato, olives and oregano, then the cheeses. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Serves four to six.
MARSHA’S FAMOUS TOMATO BISQUE (pareve or dairy)
3 fat large Vidalia onions, chopped
4 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. sugar
1 small can tomato paste
1 large can chopped/diced tomatoes, with liquid
3 large baking potatoes
water
dill, fresh (but dried will do)
parsley
1/2 to 1 cup milk, half and half, or cream (optional)
In a large stockpot, melt the butter and cook the onions with the sugar, salt and pepper (stirring frequently) until they are very soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the potatoes, tomato paste, tomatoes and their liquid and enough water so that the potatoes are covered. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 1/2 hour). Add parsley (perhaps the leftovers from the seder), dill, salt and pepper and more sugar to taste. Emulsify in a blender, food processor or immersion blender until smooth, add milk if desired. Best served the next day and reheated.
AVOCADO, ONION AND HEARTS OF PALM SALAD (pareve)
1 (14-oz.) can hearts of palm, drained, sliced into rounds
4 ripe avocadoes, diced
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1/2 to 1 cup pine nuts, toasted
bib or red leaf lettuce leaves, shredded
Dressing:
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. dried dill
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil
Place the dressing ingredients in a bowl, mix well and set aside. In a salad bowl, combine the hearts of palm, avocado and red onions. Add the dressing and toss to cover. Divide the lettuce between eight plates and pile the hearts of palm mixture on the lettuce. Top with pine nuts and serve.
VEGETABLE KUGEL (pareve)
3 medium zucchini, unpeeled and grated
3 medium carrots, peeled and grated
2 (about 1 pound) sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 medium onions, chopped fine
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 tbsp. fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried
4 eggs
4 egg whites
1/2 cup potato starch
1 1/4 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp. black pepper (or more to taste)
2 tsp. olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, carrots and sweet potatoes onions, garlic, parsley and basil. Mix well. Add the whole eggs, potato starch, salt, pepper and oil. Mix well. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the mixture into the vegetable mixture, then spoon into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Bake for one hour and 10 minutes, or until golden brown and firm. Mixture can be baked in sprayed muffin tins at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serves eight.
POTATO KNEIDLACH (pareve)
Modified from a recipe from The Passover Gourmet by Nira Rousso.
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. potato starch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1 tbsp. fresh dill, minced
Cut potatoes into large chunks and boil until soft. Drain and allow to cool. Once cool, mash with oil, eggs, salt, pepper and dill. Stir in potato starch until thoroughly combined, and refrigerate for one hour. Bring soup or a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Form ball shapes from one tablespoon of batter at a time, and submerge the dumplings in the soup or water. Boil for five to six minutes. The dumplings will float to the surface quickly but will need several more minutes to cook all the way through.
HONEY GLAZED ROASTED VEGETABLES (pareve)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme, or to taste
8 to 10 red quartered red potatoes
3 to 4 sliced zucchini
2 thickly sliced red onions,
2 red peppers, cut into chunks
4 carrots, cut into chunks
1 large sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes, salted, placed in colander 20 minutes, rinsed in cold water
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, mix together the honey, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, crushed garlic and thyme; set aside. Grease a roasting pan, then combine the potatoes, zucchini, onions, red peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes and eggplant. Drizzle the honey mixture over the vegetables and make sure everything is coated. Add salt and pepper. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, making sure nothing gets burnt. Serves eight.
RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE FRENCH MACAROONS (dairy)
This recipe (modified from a December 2006 Gourmet recipe) takes more time than typical macaroon recipes, but it’s elegant and delicious.
Macaroons:
6 oz. (2 cups) sliced blanched almonds (not slivered)
1 1/2 cups kosher for Pesach confectioners sugar
3 large egg whites
3/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
Red or pink food coloring
Chocolate raspberry ganache:
3 oz. quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. raspberry preserves
Special equipment: a gallon-size sealable plastic bag (not pleated)
To make the macaroons, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pulse almonds with 1/2 cup of the confectioners sugar in a food processor until very finely ground, then transfer to a bowl. Sift in the remaining cup of confectioners sugar, mix well.
Beat the egg whites with salt in another bowl with a mixer until they just hold soft peaks. Add granulated sugar, a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and continue to beat until the whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks. Add drops of food coloring to reach the desired shade and mix at low speed until evenly combined. Stir the almond mixture into the meringue with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. (Meringue will deflate.)
Spoon the batter into the bag, pressing out excess air, and snip off one corner of the bag to create a 1/4-inch opening. Twist the bag firmly just above the batter, then pipe peaked mounds of batter (the size of a chocolate kiss) onto lined sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Let the cookies stand, uncovered, at room temperature until the tops are no longer sticky and a light crust forms, 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 300°F. Bake the cookies, switching the position of the sheets halfway through baking, until crisp and edges are just slightly darker, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on sheets on racks, about 30 minutes.
While the macaroons bake, make the ganache. Melt the chocolate with the cream in a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water or in a double boiler, stirring until smooth. (Bowl should not touch the water.) Remove the bowl from the heat, then add butter and raspberry preserves, stirring until the butter is melted. Let stand at room temperature until cooled completely and slightly thickened.
To assemble the cookies, carefully peel the cookies from the parchment paper (they will be fragile). Sandwich a thin layer of ganache (about 1/2 teaspoon) between the flat sides of cookies.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for three days.
MATZAH CRUNCH CANDY (dairy)
6 to 7 matzot
1/2 pound butter (margarine won’t work here)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped almonds
2 cups (or enough to cover the matzot) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups mini kosher-for-Pesach marshmallows
1 cup white or dark chocolate cups
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover a cookie sheet with sides with aluminum foil. Spray or grease well and then line it with parchment paper. Lay the matzah in the prepared sheet so that there is no space between the pieces of matzah, breaking the matzot if necessary.
In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over the matzot, making sure that the mixture covers all of the matzot. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until bubbly but not burning.
Remove the matzah from the oven and immediately top with the chocolate chips. Let the chocolate melt and then spread it over the matzot with a knife, topping with the marshmallows and chopped nuts while still hot, over which you can drizzle any remaining melted chocolate. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and then break into pieces and serve. Serves eight to 10.
Eileen Goltz is the author of the cookbook Perfectly Pareve, a regular columnist for the Chicago Jewish News, kosher.com and the OU Shabbat Shalom website, and a contributing writer to several other publications. More of her Pesach recipes can be found at oupassover.org.
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