Bagel Page
Challah
Yield: 3 Loaves
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2 pk active dry yeast or 2 scant
-tablespoons
1 1/2 c warm water
1 ts sugar
4 eggs
1/2 c honey
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 ts salt
8c or 9c flour
2 c raisins (opt)
sesame or poppy seeds
In a small bowl, stir together the yeast, 1 c of the
warm water and the sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes
and makes sure it bubbles. Beat 3 of the eggs with the
honey. Add the remaining half cup of water, oil and
salt. Add the yeast mixture beating well with a
spoon. Using 5 cups of flour, add 1 cup at a time to
your mixture, beating well with a spoon after each
addition. The dough will be sticky. If raisins are
used add them now. Add 2 more cups of flour, beating
well with a wooden spoon until the dough leaves the
sides of the bowl. Shake an additional 2 cups of
flour onto the work surface and knead the dough until
almost all the flour is absorbed into it. Return it
to the bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 to
2 hours., until it looks like it has risen to almost
twice its size.
When dough has risen punch it down.
Divide the dough into 3 equal parts, and divide each
part in three for braiding. Roll the dough into long
ropes. Braid 3 together as you would hair. Press
down the ends. Leave long or form into a circle. Place
the loaves on a greased baking sheet or 9-inch round
pans. Cover with a towel and let rise 30 minutes more
or until it is again twice its size. Preheat oven to
350 degrees. Brush loaves with remaining egg mixed
with a little water. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy
seeds. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutritional info per slice (15/loaf): 141 cal; 3.2g
pro, 25.4g carb, 3.1g fat (20%), 1g fiber, 17.9mg chol.
78mg sodium Exchanges: .3fruit, 1.1 bread, .08 meat,
.5 fat
Source: Miami Herald, 12/14/95
Bread Pudding - (What to do with leftover Challah)
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- Reserved French Toast batter, see French Toast recipe
- 4 slices reserved challah bread from French Toast recipe, cut into cubes
Directions
Spray 4 (7-ounce) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. Place onto a baking sheet and set aside.
In a large bowl combine egg, milk, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and French Toast batter. Whisk together until well blended. Add bread and mix so that all the bread is coated. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Evenly divide the bread and batter mixture among the 4 ramekins. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until set.
Sandra Lee
Simple Bagels
Ingredients:
4 ½ cups of flour
2 packets of active dry yeast
1 ½ cups of water, at 110°F
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of salt
1 gallon of water
1 tablespoon of sugar
Preparation Instructions:
In a suitably sized bowl combine 1 ½ cups flour and the two packers of yeast.
Combine the 1 ½ cups of warm water, 3 tablespoons of sugar and salt; then our over flour mixture.
Beat at low speed for about thirty seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly.
Beat for three minutes on high speed.
Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Continue kneading until smooth and elastic; then cover and allow to rest for fifteen minutes.
Cut into twelve portions; then shape into smooth balls. Punch a hole in the middle of each with a floured finger. Pull gently to enlarge hole to about two inches.
Place on a greased baking sheet; cover; and allow to rise for twenty minutes.
Broil five inches from heat for about 90 seconds on each side.
Heat 1 gallon water and 1 tablespoon sugar to boiling; then reduce heat.
Cook bagels, about five at a time, for 8 minutes, turning once in the middle.
Drain and place on greased baking sheet.
Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes.
Neiman Marcus Cookies
Ingredients:
1 c light brown sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp baking sda
1tsp cinnamon
3 c oatmeal
2 sticks margarine
6 oz. chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F
Mix all ingredients together
Form cookies of desired size
Place on greased baking sheet
Bake for 12 minutes
Let cool
Apple Pear Cranberry Kugel
This kugel has a very light souffle-like texture. If you prefer a denser, more custard-like texture, do not separate the eggs in the final stages of preparation.
Serves 8–10
2 pounds tart apples
1/2 pound pears
6 oz cranberries (half a bag of frozen cranberries)
3/4 cup currants or raisins (or both) – optional
1/2 cup white wine or water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 eggs, separated
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel and core the apples and pears, and cut them in half. Put them in a pan with the cranberries, and the raisins, if you are using them. Add the wine or water and cover.
Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the apples fall apart. Mash the fruit into large chunks with a fork and add both sugars.
Cook over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. When the mixture has cooled a bit, add the egg yolks to the pan and stir well.
Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the fruit mixture.
Pour into an oiled or buttered baking dish and bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until the top browns.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
Mandelbrot- Almond Bread (Biscotti)
Though the term mandelbrot literally means "almond bread," many modern varieties abound, some with the addition of butter, chocolate chips and dried fruit. This is a traditional recipe.
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole almonds, toasted, cooled and chopped
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high until thickened and slightly foamy, about 2-3 minutes. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl, and reserve. Add 1 cup sugar, oil and vanilla and beat until blended, about 1 minute. Add flour and orange zest to eggs, and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add almonds and mix just until incorporated. Dough will be unified, but still slightly sticky.
Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray, or lightly grease with oil. Wet hands lightly, and form half of dough into a 10-inch rectangular loaf and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with other half dough. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until loaves are browned and firm, but still slightly soft when pressed.Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board. Using a bread knife, slice loaves on the diagonal into ¾-inch thick slices. Return to oven and bake until surface is dry and edges are lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Falafel
A Falafel Recipe
YIELD: ABOUT 20 BALLS
1 cup dried chickpeas
1 teaspoon cumin
Half a large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
Chopped tomato for garnish
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Diced onion for garnish
1 teaspoon salt
Diced green bell pepper for garnish
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
Tahina sauce
4 cloves garlic
Pita bread
1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle Eastern markets.
5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water.
Israeli Hummus
YIELD: About four cups, or six-to-eight servings
1 cup dried chickpeas
1 cup tahina
1/2 cup lemon juice, or to taste
2 cloves garlic, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Dash of paprika or sumac
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
1. Put the raw chickpeas in a bowl with cold water to cover and soak overnight.
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then place them in a heavy pot with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, for about an hour or until the chickpeas are soft and the skin begins to separate. Add more water as needed.
3. Drain the chickpeas, reserving about 1-1/2cups of the cooking liquid. Set aside 1/4cup of the cooked chickpeas for garnish. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the remaining chickpeas with the tahina, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and at least 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. If the hummus is too thick, add more reserved cooking liquid or water until you have a paste-like consistency.
4. Heat a frying pan and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread the pine nuts in the pan and stir-fry, browning on all sides.
5. To serve, transfer the hummus to a large, flat plate, and with the back of a spoon make a slight depression in the center. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top and sprinkle the reserved chickpeas, pine nuts, paprika or sumac, and parsley or cilantro over the surface.
6. Serve with cut-up raw vegetables and warm pita cut into wedges
Note: You can also add cayenne pepper to the hummus. Sometimes leftover hummus tends to thicken just add some water to make it the right consistency.
Brisket
Brisket is a traditional Ashkenazi dish for any big meal, from Rosh Hashanah to Passover, and though it's considered a fairly fancy offering for a festive meal, it doesn't have to be a pain in the tuchis.
Brisket comes from the chest of the cow and it's very flavorful, but it can be tough and stringy, too. The key to an excellent brisket is to keep the meat covered while it's cooking, and to give it plenty of liquid to absorb so it doesn't get too dry.
Good brisket can be made with very little work, requiring only a very large pot with a cover and a good deal of time to cook. Best of all, brisket is often better the day after it has been made, when it has been given time to rest. This makes it an ideal entree for the second day of a two day holiday. Once reheated it's better than ever.
This recipe originally called for sherry, but when a friend brought over a bottle of Farbrengen brand semi-dry red wine as a joke (Farbrengen being the only brand of wine I know of that features pictures of Hasidim on the label) I decided to try it in our family's brisket for Rosh Hashanah. The reviews were excellent, so from now on when I make brisket I'm only using sweet Kiddush wine like Farbrengen or Manischewitz. Recipe and article by Tamar Fox.
Brisket to Make You Go Oooh
5-7 lbs. brisket
Seasoning:
Salt
Onion salt (optional)
Garlic salt (optional)
Liquid:
1 12-oz bottle chili sauce
20 oz Farbrengen, Manischewitz or other very sweet wine
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Vegetables:
1 sliced sweet onion
6 chopped carrots
3 lbs potatoes, quartered
Sprinkle seasonings over meat and rub in lightly. Sear the meat in 500 degree oven for 10 minutes on each side. Combine liquids and vegetables, pour over meat, cover and cook at 350 degrees for 3 hours. Freezes well.
Potato Matzah Balls (Pareve)
Fluffy, Soft Matzah Balls (Pareve or Meat)
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time; 1-several hours
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes
4 jumbo eggs
2 tablespoons chicken fat or vegetable oil
1/2 cup seltzer
2 tsp. grated onion
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. parsley (optional)
pinch white pepper
1 cup matzah meal
Mix the eggs well. Add the fat or oil, seltzer, herbs, spices, onion, and matzah meal. Mix thoroughly. Cover and chill for several hours, even overnight.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Dip your hands in cold water and make about 12 matzah balls. Drop them into the boiling water, cover and simmer for about 30-40 minutes.
Mom's Apple Walnut Cake (A perfect dish for Rosh Hashanah)
On Rosh Hashanah, every apple is special. Still, when it comes to baking, some work better than others. The two golden rules for baking with apples are: stick to in-season varieties and use an apple that is hearty enough to hold up against oven heat. "There's nothing so disappointing as serving up a good-looking apple cake or tart, only to find that the apples are not juicy inside, or rock hard [or complete mush] after prolonged baking " warns Marcy Goldman, author of A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking. Goldman wisely suggests consulting an apple chart (like this one), or visiting a nearby farmers' market and experimenting until you find your perfect match.
This moist, hearty cake also works really well poured into muffin cups. If you prefer to serve it as a healthy breakfast or brunch cake instead of dessert, replace one cup of flour with whole wheat flour and fold 1/4 cup finely ground flax seeds into the batter along with the apples and walnuts.
Yield: 2 loaves
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
3 cups Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
Turbinado sugar (for sprinkling on top)
Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a second bowl, mix together sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and stir to combine. Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Fold in apples and walnuts (the batter will be thick).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans and spread half of the batter into each pan. Sprinkle the tops of each loaf with a little sugar and bake for approximately one hour, or until a toothpick stuck in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Schnitzel
Adapted by immigrants from the classic Viennese Wiener Schnitzel made with veal, the Israeli version originally featured turkey, which was much more plentiful at the onset of the Jewish State than beef, or even chicken.
In Israel you'll find a wide variety of schnitzel, adapted to adhere to familial or ethnic traditions and tastes. I like mine a bit spicy and add sesame seeds for a subtle nuttiness. I also prefer a coating of bread crumbs, which provide a crisper crust than matzah meal, which is denser and absorbs more oil.
The spices here are only a recommendation--it's fun to adjust the herbs to your liking. The smaller tenders make a great snack for kids, and any leftover schnitzel is superb as a day-after sandwich, stuffed into a pita with some salad and a drizzle of tahini.
Ingredients
Serves 3 to 4 (depending on your appetite).
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken or turkey breast (about 6 breasts), split and trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup oil for frying
Directions
Combine the salt, black pepper, bread crumbs, sesame seeds, paprika, garlic powder, and chili powder/cayenne in a Ziploc bag and shake to combine.
Transfer to a shallow pie plate or other similar dish. Reserve.
Trim tenders from chicken and reserve. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound lightly with a mallet to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch.
Dredge cutlets and tenders in flour, then egg, then bread crumb mixture.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet until hot but not smoking.
Working in batches, lay 2 cutlets in pan and fry until underside is golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes.
Flip and fry an additional 2-3 minutes.
Drain on paper towels, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Cholent
This dish is also called Schenna, Hamin(m), or Chamim.
Writings from talmudic times stated that eating hot food on the Sabbath was a good deed. Cholent is a Sabbath dish (a meal in a pot!) that was born out of this observance. It is prepared on Friday prior to sundown and cooked overnight, in a very slow oven (usually the village baker’s oven), and brought home and eaten Saturday for lunch after returning from services. This provided a hot, hearty meal without violating the commandment against cooking on the Sabbath.
When the Sephardic Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, many fled to northwestern Africa across the Straits of Gibraltar. The hamin was changed, adjusting for local ingredients and then called dafina (covered) in Morocco. Every family seems to have its own version, and when you return from Sabbath services it’s the first thing you smell upon entering any Sephardic home. Any other favorite vegetables can be added, and the eggs can be removed and eaten at any time.
SERVES 6 TO 8
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 to 6 garlic cloves
2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 beef bones with marrow
3 pounds brisket or chuck roast, cut into 4 pieces
3 pounds small potatoes
2 or 3 sweet potatoes cut into chunks
4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt
freshly ground pepper
4 to 6 large eggs
Preheat oven to 225°F.
In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the chickpeas, bones, meat, potatoes, honey, paprika, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Add enough water to cover, place the unshelled eggs in the center, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 1 hour. Skim off the foam occasionally. Cover the pot tightly, place in the oven, and cook overnight, or cook on low on the stove for 5 to 6 hours, or until meat is tender and done.
In the morning, after cooking all night, check the water level. If there is too much water, turn the oven up to 250°F or 300°F, cover, and continue cooking. [If cooking over Shabbat, traditionally observant Jews would refrain from changing the heat level, for doing so would run counter to Sabbath laws against manipulating flame and cooking.] If there is no water, add another cup, cover, and continue cooking.
To serve, place the chickpeas and cooking liquid in one bowl, and the eggs, potatoes, and meat in separate bowls.
Pumpkin Challah
With a heady mix of pureed winter squash, cinnamon, and cardamom braided into deep, strawberry-blond loaves, pumpkin challah is at once exotic and familiar to my Ashkenazic taste buds. A rare find, indeed.
In Maggie Glezer's indispensable baking book, A Blessing of Bread, she writes that pumpkin challah--a.k.a. pan de calabaza--is a Sephardic specialty imbued with deep meaning. Like other foods made with pumpkin, it represents the hope that God will protect the Jewish people just as the pumpkin's thick shell protects the flesh inside.
Sephardic Jews traditionally serve this bread during Rosh Hashanah, when eating auspicious, symbolic foods is especially popular. Still, it is equally delicious served on any cold autumn or winter Shabbat when the added heartiness and kick of spice can be fully appreciated. Needless to say, the leftovers make a spectacular base for challah French toast.
Makes 2 loaves.
1 package (7g) yeast
2/3 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
3 3/4 cups unbleached white flour (you can substitute up to 1 3/4 cup with whole wheat flour)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (homemade or canned)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg (+ 1 egg for glaze)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal (optional)
Sprinkle yeast into a small bowl and pour the warm water on it. Let stand for 10 minutes, then stir to dissolve.
Mix flour, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in yeast/water mixture. Using a wooden spoon, incorporate some of the flour into the water--just enough to form a soft paste. (Don't try to completely incorporate--there should be quite a bit of dry flour left at this point.) Cover bowl with a towel and leave until frothy and risen, about 20 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin, oil, egg, and salt. Add to the risen flour mixture and combine thoroughly. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is pliable. (If it's too wet, keep adding flour in small amounts.)
Let dough rest 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly oil the bowl, put the dough in it and re-cover with the towel. Let dough rise in a warm place until it has tripled in size, 2-3 hours. Punch down dough, knead it a bit more, and cut it into two equal pieces. Cut each of the two pieces into three equal pieces (You should have 6 total pieces at this point). Roll each piece into a straight rope. Braid three ropes together and repeat so that you end up with two braided loaves.
Sprinkle baking sheets with a little cornmeal, or line them with parchment paper. Place loaves on the sheets, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Glaze loaves with extra beaten egg. Bake at 350° F for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Dump Cake
The delicious cake with the silly name!
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Cake mix
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple
1 (21oz) can cherry pie filling
1 cup chopped pecans
1 stick margarine, cut into thin slices
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 13 By 9 By 2 in. pan. Dump pineapple in pan, spread evenly. Dump in pie filling and spread evenly. Dump in cake mix and spread evenly. Sprinkle nuts over cake mix. Put margarine on top. Bake 350F for 50 minutes.
Blintze Souffle
2 Pkgs. Cheese Blintzes (defrosted)
¼ cup sugar
¼ pound butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, well beaten
1 tablespoon orange juice (optional)
1/1/2 cups sour creamDirection:
Melt ¼ pound butter in 2 quart casserole and place Blintzes over butter in one layer.
Blend other ingredients with well beaten eggs and pour over the Blintzes.
Bake 45 minutes in 350F oven or until top starts to brown.Serve with powdered sugar, strawberries, raspberries or sour cream. For variety replace the Cheese Blintzes with one of following fillings: Strawberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Apple.
Marzipan
Ingredients:
1/3 cup Margarine
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups (7-oz. jar) marshmallow
4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
Dash of salt
Food coloring
Instructions:
As pretty as traditional holiday marzipan, and it tastes even better. Cream margarine; blend in Marshmallow cream(jet-whipped with real egg whites), salt and extract. Gradually add sugar; mix well. Divide mixture; tint with food coloring to resemble fruit. Knead in additional confectioners’ sugar if mixture becomes sticky. Shape into fruit. Let stand overnight until dry. If desired, brush with warm corn syrup; roll in colored sugar. Attach stems and leaves.
Latkes- Hanukah Special!
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Directions
- Finely grate potatoes with onion into a large bowl. Drain off any excess liquid.
- Mix in egg, salt, and black pepper. Add enough flour to make mixture thick, about 2 to 4 tablespoons all together.
- Turn oven to low, about 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
- Heat 1/4 inch oil in the bottom of a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Drop two or three 1/4 cup mounds into hot oil, and flatten to make 1/2 inch thick pancakes. Fry, turning once, until golden brown. Transfer to paper towel lined plates to drain, and keep warm in low oven until serving time. Repeat until all potato mixture is used.
