Have you ever eaten something so good that the memory of it lingers in your mouth and your mind for years later?
It was in Israel, at the bar mitzvah celebration of one of my younger cousins, Aron. It was in the Ma’erat HaMach’pela, the Cave of the Patriarchs, the second most holy site in Judaism.
The buses from Jerusalem dropped us in the heart of the old city of Hebron. Once upon a time, the Hebron Casbah bustled with Jews and Arabs, but it has been shut down for many years and the city is eerily quiet.
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King Herod built the large, imposing, rectangular structure from the same creamy white Jerusalem stone blocks as the Kotel, the Western Wall of the Holy Temple, and it is truly awe-inspiring. The bare stones of the plaza are nobly shaded by giant green trees. They frame the giant Tomb and add to it’s ancient grandeur. The air is cool and sweetly perfumed, the scene feels palpably serene and holy.
I stand there and remember that over the years, the Tomb has been under the dominion of the Byzantine Christians, the Moslem conquest, the Crusaders, Saladin and the Ottoman Empire.
Until 1967, Jews were only allowed up to the 7th step.
In 2007, our large group joyfully climbed the grand staircase into the building. Unable to climb the many stairs, my beloved grandmother, Nana Aziza, was happily carried up the stairs by cheering, laughing men, adding to the happy, celebratory mood.
We prayed by the cenotaphs of Abraham Avinu and Sarah Imenu, Yaakov Avinu and Leah Imenu. (We wished we could visit Isaac and Rebecca, but that part of the complex is dedicated to Moslem worshippers).
After the prayers and wrapping of Tefillin, we came to the large study hall to be served the most divine lunch. Homemade breads, creamy dips, fresh salads and an array of olives. A smooth chopped liver. And the dish that still makes my mouth water.
Last year, Rachel and I were in my kitchen, busy making baklava for an article in the Jewish Journal. “Rachel,” I said to her “What is that Moroccan dish? Chicken and almonds and caramelized onions, wrapped in phyllo pastry and sprinkled in cinnamon and powdered sugar! It’s so good!”
“Moroccan Chicken Bastilla,” she laughed.
We were inspired to make some, then and there. We used the leftover Phyllo dough and some leftover roast chicken that I had in my fridge. We patiently waited for our onion to caramelize into a sweet jam. We added turmeric and cilantro and crispy slivered almonds. We seasoned the outside of the phyllo pastry with a sprinkling of cinnamon. Then after they came out of the oven, we dusted them with powdered sugar.
They were just as delicious as I remembered.
Last week, we were in my kitchen again, figuring out what to make for our Sephardic Educational Center Purim Zoom Cooking Event.
We were inspired to do a riff on Hamantashen. They would be big. They would be savory. And they would be made with puff pastry because it is such an easy dough to work with and it just elevates every dish made with it!
We thought it would be fun to make different vegetable purées for the fillings.
We made stuffings of Chicken Bastilla, sautéed ground beef and mushroom potato for the triangle part of the “Hamantashen.” While we made three separate fillings with sweet potato, beets and spinach, you could also just as easily fill yours with caramelized onions and that would be equally delicious.
We hope you are inspired to make these Hamantashen for your Purim Seudah or just as simple puff pastry rolls any time you want to make something truly wonderful.
Chicken Bastilla Hamantashen
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
One large onion, diced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
2 Rotisserie chicken breasts, shredded
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup slivered almonds
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 10 inch puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Cinnamon & powdered sugar for sprinkling
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Preheat oven to 425°F.
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Heat olive oil over medium heat.
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Add onions and sauté for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
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Add turmeric, cinnamon, cumin and coriander and continue sautéing for two more minutes.
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Add caramelized onions to the shredded chicken breasts.
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Add cilantro, slivered almonds, eggs and salt and pepper and mix well.
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Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
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Gently roll out dough and cut into a 10 inch circle.
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Place chicken filling to create a triangle in the middle of the circle.
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Roll dough over the filling, creating a large triangle with a center hole.
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Fill center with vegetable filling of your choice.
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Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, until pastry is puffed and golden brown.
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Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar before serving.
Mushroom and Potato Hamantashen
4 medium potatoes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
One large onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pint mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/2 baby spinach, chopped
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 10 inch puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Everything but the Bagel Seasoning for sprinkling
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Preheat oven to 425°F.
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Fill a medium pot with cold water.
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Rinse potatoes and place in the pot.
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Cover and boil over medium heat until fork tender, about 15 minutes.
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Remove skins and place in a large bowl, then roughly mash potatoes.
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Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.
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Add onions and sauté for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
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Add turmeric, paprika and garlic powder and continue sautéing for two more minutes.
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Add caramelized onions to the potato.
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Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and sauté mushrooms.
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Add mushrooms, spinach, egg and salt and pepper to the potato and onions and mix well.
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Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
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Gently roll out dough and cut into a 10 inch circle.
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Place chicken filling to create a triangle in the middle of the circle.
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Roll dough over the filling, creating a large triangle with a center hole.
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Fill center with vegetable filling of your choice.
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Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash.
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Sprinkle with Everything but the Bagel Seasoning before serving.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, until pastry is puffed and golden brown.
Ground Beef Hamantashen
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
One large onion, diced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 pound ground beef
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup pine nuts
Salt and pepper to taste
2 10 inch puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling
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Preheat oven to 425°F.
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In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium flame.
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Add onions and sauté for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
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Add turmeric, cinnamon, paprika and allspice and continue sautéing for two more minutes.
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Add ground beef and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until meat has browned.
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Place beef mixture in a large bowl.
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Add egg, parsley, pine nuts and salt and pepper and mix well.
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Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
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Gently roll out dough and cut into a 10 inch circle.
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Place beef filling to create a triangle in the middle of the circle.
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Roll dough over the filling, creating a large triangle with a center hole.
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Fill center with vegetable filling of your choice.
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Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash.
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Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, until pastry is puffed and golden brown.
Hamantashen Center Triangle Fillings
You can choose any of these fillings to fill the center of your Hamantashen. Or simply fill with caramelized onions.
Beet Purée
1 beet
1 parsnip
1 egg
Salt and pepper
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Boil beets and parsnip over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
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Remove skin and mash.
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Add egg and salt and pepper and mix well.
Sweet Potato Purée
1 large sweet potato
1 egg
Salt and pepper
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Boil sweet potato over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
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Remove skin and mash.
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Add egg and salt and pepper and mix well.
Spinach Purée
1 potato
4 cups baby spinach, chopped
1 egg
Salt and pepper
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Boil potato over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
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Remove skin and mash.
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Add spinach, egg and salt and pepper and mix well.