These Sephardic pastries are crispy, savory, cheesy heaven. Bourekas, boyos and bulemas are flaky, savory pastries, and just might be the crowning jewel of the Sephardic kitchen. Potato or eggplant bourekas, cheese boyos or spinach and cheese bulemas are traditionally served as part of the Sabbath desayuno(Ladino for “breakfast,” and a tradition in communities of the…
Recipe5 egg yolks7 egg whites2 1/4 cups of flour1 1/2 cups of sugar3/4 cup of orange juice or water1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest1/2 cup vegetable or avocado oil3 tablespoons baking powder1 teaspoon of vanilla extract1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar Directions-Beat the egg whites with half the sugar and cream of tartar, until the…
2 lbs firm white fish fillets1 lemon1 tsp kosher salt1/2 tsp white pepper1 tsp turmericOil for frying Squeeze juice of lemon over the fish. Sprinkle the salt, pepper and turmeric on the fish.Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the fish and fry until golden brown. Place fish on a dish…
This Sukkot in my father’s memory, my mother will cook one of his favorite dishes — Fish Pilau Im’tabak — a classic dish from the Iraqi/Babylonian Jewish kitchen. Why is it that Sukkot always has a way of sneaking up on us? No matter what day the holiday falls on, Neil and I always find…
1 cup boiling water infused with a generous pinch of saffron (set aside)1/3 cup avocado or vegetable oil1 3-lb whole chicken, with skin1 onion, chopped1 tsp turmeric2 tsp consommé powder1 tsp white pepperKosher salt, to taste2 Tbsp oil1 lb bag of thin durum semolina egg noodles In a soup pot, warm 1/3 cup of oil…
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…
Dough2 Tbsp yeast + 1 tsp sugar6 cups flour½ cups sugar2 eggs½ cup oil1 tsp salt1 ½ cups water Combine dry yeast, warm (120°F) water, 1 teaspoon sugar in a glass bowl and set aside to proof 10 minutes.In a large bowl, combine all of the flour with remaining sugar and salt, the proofed yeast…
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…
