It is especially customary to eat letrea as part of the meal before the fast of Yom Kippur. As a mother of three I have boiled hundreds of pots of pasta. Spaghetti with meatballs, rigatoni with olive oil, macaroni and cheese with a crispy topping, packaged Wacky Mac, spirals with butter, bowties with marinara sauce. […]
Tishpishti is such a throwback to the flavors of my childhood in my grandmother’s kitchen. Sharon and I have been Instagram friends with Beth Lee from @omgyummy since 2020. In 2021, when she published “The Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook,” I immediately bought it. I loved every page. Beth really did her research. The book features […]
10-12 small quinces 1 lemon, sliced 3-4 cups sugar Juice of 1 lemon Cinnamon stick or 2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, to taste) 10-12 cloves (optional, to taste) 2 star anise (optional, to taste) Juice of a small lemon Wash quinces well, cut into slices, leaving skin on. Place in large bowl with cold water […]
My mother Rica always made the most delicious, most nourishing and most satisfying soups. But for Rosh Hashana there was a special soup. This soup contained all the vegetables of the “simanim” on which one needs to say blessings. This is a Spanish Moroccan custom. Not only are all the vegetables in there but there’s […]
Traditional Babylonian dishes for the holidays would include semolina kubbah stuffed with ground lamb in a sweet and sour broth with okra and ma’hasha, a colorful array of meat and rice stuffed grape leaves, zucchini, tomatoes and onions. There would be moist chicken slow simmered in a fresh broth and pilau b’jij, a chicken and red rice […]
4 large yellow onions 1/4 cup avocado or vegetable oil 3-4 cups soft pitted prunes 1 cup of dark or golden raisins ½ cup chopped dried apricots. Rind of one orange ¼ cup orange juice 1 tsp of cinnamon 3 cloves (optional) ¼ cup Silan (pure date syrup) ¼ cup honey ¼ cup of toasted […]
For many of our readers and followers, food transports them to the kitchens of their mothers and grandmothers. The holiness of Rosh Hashanah permeates the air. The candles burn brightly. We are all dressed in white. The table is covered with a white tablecloth, bedecked with flowers, apples and pomegranates and set with my mother’s […]
2 onions, peeled and diced2 lb ground beef5 tsp tomato saucea dash of cayenne pepper (or pepperflakes) and garlic powderSalt & Pepper to taste1/4 cup rice1 egg1/2 cup chopped parsley¼ cup water 1. Parboil rice. To do so, bring 3/4 cup water to a boil. Add 1/4 cup rinsed rice. Cook covered on stove approximately […]
There are only a few ladies left in Los Angeles that know how to make these treats that date back to medieval times. I decided the time had arrived for me to master the pasteliko! Rhodes is a tiny island in the middle of the Aegean Sea. Captured from Greece by the Ottoman Turks, it […]
Marinade Ingredients1 cup mayonnaise1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil2 tsp paprika½ tsp cumin½ tsp turmeric½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)Zest from one lemonJuice of one lemon1 tsp salt½ tsp freshly ground black pepper4 garlic cloves, minced 2½ to 3 pounds boneless skinless chickenthighs or chicken pieces with skin onVegetable oil, for greasing […]
4 large pita breads, cut into quarters1 ½ pounds ground beef3 cloves garlic, crushed1 onion, finely chopped1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped3 Tbsp olive oil2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses1 teaspoon salt½ tsp black pepper½ tsp cumin (optional)1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and choppedOlive oil (for brushing) Preheat the grill or oven to 425°F.Combine all the […]
Nothing in life is better than sharing a meal with friends. And for us, some of the best meals are summer barbecues. At midnight, we walked out of those sliding glass doors at Ben Gurion Airport. The lights were artificially bright. The hot, humid air was stultifying and filled with the acrid smell of cigarette […]
8 oz Feta or other salty white cheese3 Tbsp all-purpose flour4 eggsAvocado oil or vegetable oil for frying In a medium bowl, mash the cheese.Mix in the flour.Add eggs and beat until mixture is thoroughly blended.In a small frypan, warm oil over medium high heat.When oil is hot, pour in half the egg mixture.When the […]
Over the years, whenever we would stay with my Aunt Daisy, she would fry delectable Ajja J’bin for our breakfast. Whenever we visit Israel, we always spend at least a few nights with my aunt Daisy. My children have the fondest memories of staying in her high-rise apartment in the Marom Naveh area of Ramat […]
8 egg whitesPinch of salt1 teaspoon cinnamon1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, optional200g powdered sugar in350g walnuts, roughly ground, leaving some pieces a little larger300g dates, finely choppedAdditional powdered sugar for garnish Preheat oven to 350°F.Prepare a springform spray and flour sides.Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff. Add salt and […]
2 medium eggplants2 medium red bell peppersCoarse salt1/3 cup olive oil, more if needed1 chicken cut into 10 pieces (breasts intotwo) Or about 2 pounds bonelessskinless thighs or breasts2 large sweet yellow onions, thinly slicedor chopped2 large garlic cloves, grated or finelychopped1 tablespoon sweet paprika1 teaspoon cumin (optional)3 tablespoons tomato paste1 cup chicken stock or […]
This recipe for braised chicken with eggplant is originally from Turkey and travelled through Spain and the Mediterranean. One of the standards for being a nekuchera, the Ladino word for an excellent Sephardic cook, is having the knowledge and ability to prepare good eggplant. There are so many traditional eggplant recipes in the Sephardic kitchen—baba […]
4 oz butter/vegan butter at roomtemperature or avocado oil1/2 cup powdered sugar and more fordusting cookies1 cup all natural unsalted crunchy peanutbutter1 tsp cinnamon1 cup all purpose flour1 tsp baking powder Preheat oven to 350°F.In a large bowl, use a fork to combine the butter and sugar until creamy.Add the peanut butter and combine well.Add […]
Ghriba are Moroccan shortbread cookies served at weddings and other festive occasions, or as an after dinner treat with a cup of classic Moroccan mint tea. My son Sam and my niece Annabella were born a month apart. My son Max and my niece Ines and my twin nephews Luca and Nico were all born […]
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil3 cloves garlic, finely chopped3 Tbsp tomato paste1 tsp kosher salt½ tsp pepper2 tsp paprika1 tsp ground coriander or cumin,optional1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, with liquid2 lb fresh spinach1/3 cup water1 lemon, juiced In a large deep pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, tomato paste, salt […]
