Category: Shavuot
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Potato and Onion Galette
I think of a galette as a low maintenance version of a quiche, just as delicious because of the flaky pastry and amazing filling, but no need to worry about a pie dish or custard. Because a galette is far drier than a quiche, it travels easily and tastes amazing at room temperature. This galette…
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Flakey Pie Dough
Makes 2 x 23cm (9 inch) pie shells Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavour — do not substitute extra water. The alcohol helps inhibit gluten formation, yielding a tender, flaky crust. This dough works well for both sweet and savoury pies and tarts. You can make it in…
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Spinach and Feta Rolls (or Pie)
No Shavuot would be complete without these ubiquitous Balkan rolls of spinach and feta. That said, after every single year I’ve made them—and made a total fool of myself eating far more than I should—I ask, “Why only once a year?” Don’t be like me. Make these, and make them often! INGREDIENTS: METHOD: To Make…
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Hungarian Cherry Soup
A heady, creamy, sweet-and-tart soup served ice cold—a taste of Shavuot, the Catskills, and Carpathian nostalgia in every spoonful. I always wonder whether it’s nature or nurture that shapes our taste buds. I’ve yet to meet someone from Eastern Europe—especially the Carpathian Mountains, where my father’s family comes from—who isn’t obsessed with cherries. My father,…
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Salmon with Preseved Lemon and Israeli Couscous
This is one of those dishes that sounds like a patchke (Yiddish for messing with little things, getting busy when you just don’t need to – don’t you just love Yiddish, where one word can mean so much) but in truth, all the little steps amount to one delicious dish, where every element works together…
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Ultimate Cheesecake
Rich, smooth, and unapologetically indulgent—this classic cheesecake owes its luxurious texture to American-style cream cheese and a gentle bake in a water bath. The history of cheesecake is ancient. The first known cheesecakes date back to Classical Greece, and remarkably, the core recipe has changed little over the millennia: a combination of soft cheese, sweetened—then…
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Blintzes
The blintz sounds like an extraordinary Ashkenazi dish, with a name that could only have come from the Old Country. But broken down to its simplest form, a blintz is a thin crêpe filled with just about anything—from cheese to potatoes to chopped liver. In a world where food was limited and ways of using…
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Blueberry Sauce
The perfect accompaniment to Blintzes or this Ultimate Cheesecake! INGREDIENTS: METHOD: MAKE AHEAD: Blueberry sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge in a sealed container. It also freezes well for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and stir before serving.
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Saffron Mozzarella Arancini
Unlike most of my recipes, this one is time-consuming, as there are several steps involved. However, don’t worry—none of the steps are particularly difficult. The end result is absolutely delicious: imagine biting into a perfectly crisp, golden-brown rice ball filled with gooey, melted mozzarella in the centre. The contrast of textures and flavours is simply…