counterparts — sweet roskitas (ka'ak)

the following sweet little rounds, roskitas dulses [or just biskotchos] as i know them, are a common sight in many sefardi homes, served at many an occasion or kept in a cookie tin just to have on hand for everyday eating. also known as sweet ka'ak or bracelets (in arabic), they are commonly found in middle eastern countries. they are also the counterpart to their savoury version which is also very popular.

while terribly easy to make, this recipe takes a little planning in terms of timing and you NEED to read through the whole recipe before starting. i also say that because you have to decide which flavouring you want (to see if you have the ingredients on hand!). these roskitas are very commonly made with anise which is a favoured taste by many people.

the dough for these particular cookies is different from standard cookie doughs in that it needs a full (8 to 10 hour) chilling in order to be workable and will seem a little strange at first in that it will feel a little loose compared to a regular dough. no worries, it works perfectly :) just follow the instructions below and you'll have great cookies. also, don't overcrowd them as they expand while they bake.

happy baking!

roskitas dulses (sweet ka'ak)
sweet sesame rings

makes approx 24 cookies

ingredients:

wet —

2 eggs
1/2 c sugar
1 pkg vanilla sugar (2 - 3 tsp)

1/2 c oil (light olive or vegetable)

dry —

2 c flour (AP)
1/8 tsp salt, heaped
2 1/2 tsp cornstarch ("maizena")
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

flavourings —

2 - 3 tsp mazaher (orange flower water) or raki*
1/2 tsp vanilla extract IF you didn't add vanilla sugar

*if using raki, add 1 1/2 - 2 tsp anise (seeds) & omit vanilla

3 - 4 tbsp medium coarsely chopped pistachio nuts (green part only) - optional - this was added if they were made with orange flower water & not anise.

coating —

~ 1/2 c sesame seeds (you can also add 1/4 c coarse crystal sugar)

method:

in one bowl, mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.

in another medium sized bowl, mix the eggs & regular and vanilla sugar together. it is best to do this with a electric beater.

add the oil and beat again for a minute or two. it will take on a consistency of lemon pudding.

now add the flour in two or three portions and mix it until it is like a thick paste.

put it (covered) in the fridge overnight or in the early morning and make the cookies in the evening. you cannot skip this step or speed it up. remember: it won't look like a regular cookie dough you are used to seeing.

the next day or later that evening:

preheat oven to 325 F.

take 1/2 c sesame seeds and put them on a plate.

take 1 level tablespoon of dough and roll it out into a "finger" about 4 inches long. put the ends together (they will fuse when they bake) but make sure they are closed (i.e. sticking together). now dip one side into the sesame seeds and place it on your baking tray. i always use parchment paper.

make sure to leave space in between because they will expand!! the best way to do this is measure out 12 pieces and put the other half of the dough back in the fridge. also, if you oil your hands, it is easier but i never do it. as long as the dough is cold, it works well.

bake the cookies for only 18 to 20 minutes. they should only be very lightly browned. remove them and bake the next batch.

now put the oven to its lowest temperature (~ 150F) and bake them for another 20 minutes.

remove from the oven and let cool completely. they should be "duro" (crisp) - but light and crunchy!! these store well for several weeks in a tightly covered cookie jar or in a ziploc.

enjoy!

the other side of rice

unless you have grown up with it as part of the food your family ate, bulgur — not "cracked wheat" with which it is often confused — is most probably one of those food items you are not too familiar with. these days, however, it is becoming as popular as other commonly consumed grains like rice.

bulgur wheat can be used in a myriad of ways to produce many delicious recipes and has a very long history with those peoples who have originally used it as a staple. it is a healthy grain and is great for vegetarians and vegans as it can be used for innumerable meatless dishes.

before using bulgur wheat it is important to realize that it comes in different degrees of fineness, from coarse to medium to fine. often, they will be marked with only numbers such as "no#1", continuing with 2, 3 & sometimes 4. ideally, each is used in a specific way for the particular recipe you are making. not all supermarkets carry all the different grinds so you may need to make a trip to a store which specializes in selling items like this. note also that there is a dark kind of bulgur [most common] and a golden one. for the following recipe, you will need the coarse grind (brown or golden).

rice-like once cooked, coarse bulgur wheat is almost always exclusively used to make dolma (stuffed vegetables) and pilavs. here, i am using it the way we ate it at home; an excellent side dish and alternative for rice and couscous, bulgur pilav is very popular and goes well with fish and meat. it is really one of my favourite ways to enjoy bulgur wheat.

if you can make rice, you can make this pilav. you'll also make it again and again!


bulgur pilav

ingredients:

1 c coarse grind bulgur (medium is ok but coarse is best)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
2 tbsp margarine + 2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized tomato, chopped OR,
1 tbsp red pepper paste or tomato paste
1 1/2 c stock or water*
salt & pepper as need/wanted

*usually it is a 1:2 ratio of bulgur to water but here you want only 1 1/2 cups so the finished dish will be al dente.

method:

melt the 2 tbsp of margarine in a fry pan or casserole which has a tight fitting lid.

add the chopped onion and fry it over medium heat until it starts to brown. at this point, add the garlic if using.

add the tomato and fry it with the onion (and garlic) for about 5 minutes. stir it every minute or two.

add the stock or water and salt and pepper. if the stock is not salted, or if you are using water, you will need more salt. it is usually around 1/2 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp black pepper. bring this to a boil.

add the 2 tbsp of olive oil and the bulgur wheat and stir. bring it up to a boil again.


turn down the heat to minimum and place the lid on the pan. cook it for about 20/25 minutes as you would for rice.

at the end of the cooking time, remove the lid and check to see all the water has been absorbed. stir the mixture and place the lid back on.

remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving. it should be al dente and not mushy.

you can either place the bulgur in molds and press it in firmly, unmolding it on your serving plates or just serve as you would for rice.

enjoy!

ayva del corte kipur

this is a sweet, uniquely sefardi, that we serve to break the fast for Yom Kippur which is 26 hours lonnnnng — an extended and knee-weakening haul where we eat no food, drink no liquids and spend from morning until just after sunset, in synagogue, atoning for our sins of the past year & praying that we our fates for an auspicious and healthy New Year be sealed in the Book of Life.

it's no secret (or joke!) that you want to rip somebody's head off run home immediately following the ne'ilah service, after hearing the final sounds of the shofar, just to get at that first cup of coffee or tea and maybe a few cookies or piece of cake. oops, did i forget to mention the tylenol to fight that "yom kippur headache"?? LOL.

besides the usual honey cake, there is often a sponge cake of some sort with which the following 'dulsé' is served. made from a simple sugar syrup perfumed by a few spices, its main ingredient is the quince. many things can be made from this special scented fruit which is similar to an apple. the difference is the quince cannot be eaten raw (well, it can, but you certainly won't enjoy it!). this fruit is always cooked in some manner, whether it be to make sweets or put in some kind of soup or stewed dish.

the interesting part of this is that, like apples, quince oxidize (turn brown) VERY quickly. while this is not really desirable with an apple, it is the opposite case here — you DO want the quince to turn brown. this browning of the fruit is only a temporary thing because as they cook, they take on a pinkish colour, something you are hoping will happen. if you put them immediately in the syrup, they tend to remain white.

to make this sweet compote, you need at least 36 hours advance preparation as it has to cook and sit overnight. it is refrigerated the next morning and sits there until you break the fast, when it is usually served out of a crystal bowl with a silver spoon. the recipe is made based on ratios - so, you usually have to figure out how many people are going to be arriving and estimate it's about 1/4 of a quince per person. not everyone will eat everything, so ...... make an educated guess. i say that because quince are expensive — here, they usually cost about $2 each, sometimes more. you don't want to make tons and have no one eat it! in any event, it stores well in the fridge for a good week or two.


ayva (bimbriyo) del corte kipur
poached quince in a light syrup

ingredients:

*quince (estimate 1/4 - 1/3 quince per person -- see method for explanation)
sugar
water
cinnamon & cloves
lemon peel

orange flower water or lemon juice, if wanted

*(ayva = membrillo/bimbriyo/quince); make sure to find fruit which is not blemished and soft. the fruit should feel very hard and hopefully have a perfumed scent to it at room temperature.

method:

START THIS RECIPE IN THE EARLY MORNING (OR MID-AFTERNOON) ONLY!!

first make your syrup:

you need a 2:1 ratio - so, i use per quince: 1/2 c sugar to 1/4 c water.

you also need 1/2 stick cinnamon & 1 clove per quince AND strips of lemon peel from 1/2 a large lemon (peel strips lengthwise).

place the sugar, water and spices (not the lemon peel!) in a pan/pot large enough to accomodate the quince.

bring the mixture to a boil and lower the heat. cook it until the sugar dissolves and it is no longer foamy.

set this aside and proceed with the fruit. if you like, you can prepare the fruit and while it is sitting for the hour, make the syrup. it works either way....

prepare the fruit:

carefully wash your quince, removing any of the white fluff still on it and then dry the fruit. place it on a sturdy cutting board. quince is very hard and you have to be careful when cutting it so make sure you have a sharp knife.

after deciding how many quince you need, peel them with a peeler (paring them with a knife takes away too much peel). take a sharp knife and remove the stem and blossom ends.

cut the quince, carefully, in half.

core the quince and keep the cores (but remove the seeds - if there is any mouldy stuff near the seeds, clean it out). you'll add them to the rest of the fruit when they cook.

cut the quince into slices, fairly thick ones, approx. 1/2 inch thick. place them in a bowl and let them sit for 1 hour to dry and oxidize. they will turn brownish.

after one hour, place the oxidized quince and cores in the syrup and bring it to a boil.

now you need to add water (most probably) to have the liquid come up to the top of the quince. don't add too much water, however. add it bit by bit and judge if it is enough.

bring this to a boil and then turn down the heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid and let this cook for 12 to 15 minutes.

two hours later, bring to a boil again - turning down heat - and cook for about 5 minutes, not longer. now turn off the heat and let this sit, covered for 8 hours. *if you started this late afternoon, let it sit overnight covered and finish it in the (early) morning*.

after 8 hours, add the lemon peel.

cook the quince again for the final time for another 6 to 8 minutes (or even up to another 10 to 12 minutes if needed). the fruit should be tender, not mushy. this depends on the heat of your stove - you are poaching the fruit, not boiling it down to a jam!! the best way to tell is to pierce the fruit with and knife; if it goes through nicely, it's done. taste it also for texture. don't forget to remove the cores you added.

taste the syrup. it should be fairly thin. if you like you can add 2 tsp of orange flower water -- or if it is too sweet for you, add lemon juice buy only 1 tsp at a time. if adding lemon juice, you may want to bring it to a boil once last time but DON'T recook it.

let the finished product cool off the heat (uncovered). place it in a glass bowl in the fridge well covered until serving time.

enjoy!

the lighter & heavier side of the honey cake

in most jewish homes, especially ashkenazi, come rosh hashanah, tradition is to serve slices of honey cake to welcome the new year. this means there are a million and one recipes for this particular cake, with every family usually having that one special recipe that is baked year after year, a recipe which has been passed down over the generations. often however, people also try out a new recipe every year — in addition to what they traditionally make.

honey cake can be one of those things that people either love or hate, usually for one or two reasons. it's no secret that some can be as heavy as lead and dried out, usually the sign of a bad recipe or something having gone wrong along the way. i mean, really, who would want to eat that every year?!

honey cakes are traditionally a denser type of cake; in other words, they typically have some heft to them. this is mostly due to the ratio of ingredients and the method of baking. of course, there are different variations of the same theme which give rise to honey cakes of the lighter side. these are usually achieved by beating the eggs whites and incorporating them into the cake to make an airier texture.

another issue comes down to spices. not everyone is a spice lover, especially in cakes. children sometimes avoid eating honey cake, lamenting that "it's too spicy!". as a child, i have to admit, i didn't much like it either! invariably there is often an adult guest at rosh hashana who won't touch it either for that same reason.

so, to that end, i bring you the best of both worlds....

the first recipe in this post is for a honey cake which is amazingly good — in fact, excellent — one which involves zero spices, is incredibly light in texture and deep in flavour. the best part is that it honestly improves over the days you keep it. the top of the cake, once baked, is somewhat sticky and caramel-y tasting. the best thing though is how easily & fast it can be thrown together: it's called chiffon style for good reason. no beating of the egg whites with the benefit of a really light texture. the only caveat to the recipe is that you need a large loaf pan, 9 x 5 x 3 inches (don't use the smaller one or you'll have the cake overflow in the oven). since it needs to slowly bake and rise, the cake pan is not greased. you will therefore need to cut out a rectangle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan. not following this step will result in you never being able to get the cake out of the pan. after all this said, it's really worth a try! believe it or not, without a single spice in it, it still tastes like a honey cake ;)

the second version — the antithesis of the first — is for that heftier type of cake. this one is equally as good but has spices and requires the egg whites to be beaten and incorporated. the pan, in this case, is greased. you can use a tube pan or a large bundt type one. the recipe makes a very large cake (for a crowd!) but it freezes well for the month of the upcoming holidays.

for several more honey cakes i've posted, look here. check this, too.

have a sweet new year!

chiffon style honey cake

makes 1 loaf (10 - 12 slices) - double the ingredients for a large cake but use a tube pan with removable insert or angelfood cake pan.

use: 23 x 13 x 8 cm [1.9 liters] - 9 x 5 x 3 inches loaf pan UNGREASED.

ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 c brown sugar (packed) or reg white sugar
1/2 c oil
3/4 c honey
1/2 c strong coffee (or tea)

1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

method:

if using a loaf pan (you need the standard large one), cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan. DO NOT grease the pan -- very important.

if you're doubling the recipe, use an angelfood cake pan with a removable insert, you don't need the parchment paper AND don't grease the pan either). do NOT use a bundt pan as it will not release from it.

preheat the over to 350 F.

mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

beat eggs with sugar -- add the rest of the wet ingredients.

add the flour in 3 parts to the wet ingredients.

pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350F for 15 minutes. lower the oven to 300F and bake for about 1 more hour. test the cake with a toothpick -- it may need longer or you can raise the temp to 325F. to finish it. don't open the oven before 1 hour or it can fall.

* * * * * * *

rosh hashanah spiced honey cake

makes a LARGE cake (18 to 20 slices) - recipe can be halved

ingredients:

3 tbsp shortening*
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 egg yolks, 4 egg whites
1 c brown sugar, packed
2 c honey
3 tbsp whiskey or brandy**
zest of 1 orange & its juice
3/4 c warm very strong coffee (or strong tea)
3 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each: cloves, allspice, cinnamon & ginger***

*can use (parve) margarine also
**you can omit this and replace with more coffee or o.j.
***or you can use 1 tsp cinnamon alone

method:

1. large bundt pan or angel food cake pan -->well greased and floured - preheat oven to 325 F.

2. mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl; do NOT include the brown sugar in it.

3. beat the egg whites until stiff.

4. blend all the wet ingredients together with the brown sugar in another bowl or mixer until well combined.

5. mix the wet mixture into the dry one until well blended.

6. carefully add the egg whites in several additions to the mixed batter to keep the volume.

7. put the cake batter in the cake pan and bake for about 1 hour or longer -- maybe ~ 1 hr 15 min. test it with a toothpick to make sure the center is cooked. don't open the oven before 50 minutes or so or it will fall.

8. remove from the oven and let cool for approximately 15 minutes. if you are using the angel food cake pan, do not turn the cake over to cool because it will fall out!

9. after initial cooling, remove and let cool completely.

enjoy!

move over, gefilte fish

maybe it's a jewish thing, but pickled salmon prepared in this manner — poached in a sweet and sour mixture with onions and pickling spices, then served cold — is extremely popular as an appetizer or alternative to the traditional gefilte fish. since not everyone is a gefilte fish lover, this is an alternative to the "same old, same old".

this version is very good since it doesn't require much work, especially if you get the fish already in fillets (i.e. skinned and boned). another very good thing about this is that it keeps well in the refrigerator and can be frozen, if prepared ahead of time. of course, if you're strict about following the customs about not cooking with lemon or vinegar on rosh hashanah, then skip this one for now.

seeing as i am running late with everything these days, pictures will follow shortly.


easy yomtov pickled salmon

enough for 10 people - recipe can be cut in half easily

ingredients:

4 lbs fillets of salmon, no skin or bones

1 3/4 c ketchup
3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 c lemon juice
1 1/2 c water

1 large onion
1 - 2 tbsp pickling spices*

method:

preheat the oven to 325 F.

wash salmon pieces and dry them with paper towel. cut them into individual serving pieces and set aside.

*you can add the pickling spices to the sauce wrapped in a cloth if you don't want them all over the place (as i prefer) or add them loosely later on in the recipe.

cut the onion in rings about 1/8" thick.

place sugar, lemon juice, ketchup and water in pot and bring it to boil. if using the pickling spices in a cloth, add them now. cook until sugar is dissolved. simmer the sauce for about 2 minutes.

in a large pyrex, place half the onion rings on the bottom.

place the salmon on top in one layer only. if using the pickling spices loose, then sprinkle them over the fish now.

pour the hot mixture over the salmon evenly.

place salmon in oven and cook about 20 minutes. don't cover the pyrex.

take the salmon out and place the remaining onion over the salmon.

let the salmon cool completely and cover well with tin foil. place in the fridge to marinate for at least 48 hours.

can be made ahead and frozen.

enjoy!

peach butter crust tarte

okay, i'm a bit late with this post. however, seeing as peach season is just behind us, there still must be a few still readily available at reasonable prices. i'm sure it can be made with drained canned peaches, too, if fresh ones aren't available or are prohibitively costly. better yet, use frozen sliced ones which are available at some supermarkets in the freezer section.

the filling for this tarte consists of nothing much more than peaches, some sugar and flour. that's it, besides a sprinkling of cinnamon and splash of amaretto or peach schnapps liqueur if you like. using the dough recipe in my previous post, the pastry can be made in the morning and refrigerated, with the rest of the recipe finished later on. the most tedious part, though very simple, is removing the skin from the peaches.

this tarte is, in my opinion, at its best once it's been refrigerated. the delay seems to improve the flavour and texture of this easy-to-make dessert.
hope you like it.....


peach butter crust tarte

serves 6 to 8

ingredients:

1 pastry recipe

6 to 8 good sized peaches, skinned & sliced thinly (see this post)
3 tbsp flour
8 tbsp sugar
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp amaretto or peach schnapps (optional)

cinnamon

crushed amaretti cookies, optional

method:

preheat your oven to 375F.

skin and slice your peaches (approx 1/4" thick). place them in a medium sized bowl.

add the sugar and flour to the peaches. add the amaretto or peach schnapps, if using.

stir well. they will look thickly coated at first.

wait 10 minutes or until you see the juices develop.

place the peaches carefully into the chilled pastry in the tarte pan.

place the tarte on a lined baking sheet in order to avoid any possible spillage during baking.

sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and crushed amaretti (almond) cookies.

bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

remove from oven and let cool completely.

refrigerate and serve.

enjoy!

no roll pastry dough for tart(e)s

not everyone is so adept in the kitchen. a close friend of mine, for example, shouldn't be allowed into any kitchen let alone her own; she is simply a baking disaster. though she tries, pastry is not her forte. i've witnessed it and it's not pretty. while i try not to laugh, it's impossible. as she stares at me with this "what did i do wrong now" look on her face, i just roll my eyes and say, "move over, lemme do it {....again}. i then whisper in her ear, "next time buy it at the store and pretend you made it." she isn't amused and flings pastry dough at me that is stuck to her fingers like mortar.

this pastry is one even she can't screw up. let me rephrase that: yes, she can but it's much harder to do since all is done in a food processor and the dough is patted into the pastry and not rolled out. it's simple and fast and pretty much idiot proof provided you measure correctly, don't over process and FOLLOW DIRECTIONS {my friend always thinks she can do it "her way" LOL}.

one important thing about pastry dough - especially those for tart(e)s & pies. chilling your finished — rolled & fitted — pastry for a good 1/2 - 1 hr before baking usually retards the process of shrinkage once in the oven. just an extra tip....

no roll (butter) pastry dough

makes enough for 1 9-inch tart(e)

this can be made with the addition of ground almonds and almond extract or with vanilla beans and a bit of vanilla extract. adjust it according to your filling. the pastry can also be made without any flavourings at all. while it is made with butter, margarine can be used instead but it must be the kind which comes in blocks or rectangles and is solid.
ingredients:

1 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 c ground almonds or the beans on 1 vanilla pod*
1/3 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract or vanilla extract*
1/2 c butter or margarine (cold)
1 egg yolk

*optional — you can omit these items and make a plain crust.

method:

place the flour, ground almonds or vanilla beans if using, salt & sugar and extract in the food processor and pulse until blended. this can be done in a bowl, by hand, also if you don't have a processor.

add the butter which you have cut in small pieces. make sure it is still cold.

process by pulsing, or use a pastry cutter if doing it by hand, until it is incorporated and is sandy. don't overprocess.

add your yolk and pulse only until you get a ball of dough. do the same by hand but with a wooden spoon.

chill the dough for 15 minutes.

place the chilled dough in an ungreased tarte pan with a removable bottom.

press it in with your fingers and make sure to go up the sides of the tarte tin.

fill with the filling you like and bake at 375F. see here for an example.