Alice
Elias Shamma’s Middle Eastern Baked Apples
The New York Times Jewish Cookbook
Alice’s Notes: I left out the pistachios and rose water(because I didn’t have them in my pantry), and reduced the sugar and honey by about half; the result was still delicious. The paste that the apples are stuffed with reminds me of the Sephardic charoset I make at Passover, which, by the way, is so phenomenal, I could eat it all year!!
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, (plus butter for greasing the dish)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup currants (or raisins)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons rose water
6 medium-to-large Golden Delicious apples (I also likeEmpire and Fuji)
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, optional
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Core each apple with an apple corer.
2. Place 4 tablespoons of the butter in a food processor (or a mini processor) with the sugar and honey. Process until well combined. Add the various nuts, currants (or raisins), cloves, cinnamon and rose water. Pulse until the mixture turns into a paste.
3. Stuff the center of each apple with the nut mixture. Rub the skin of each apple with the remaining butter and sprinkle any remaining nut mixture over the apples.
4. Bake until the apples are soft, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Happy Cooking and Baking! Alice
Ashkenazic Sweet Cheese Pancakes (Zeesih Kaese Latkes)
From The World of Jewish Cooking, Gil Marks
“Latke – derived from elaion, the Greek word for ‘olive oil’ – is an Ashkenazic term for pancakes, particularly those served on Hanukkah. Cheese, the original form of latke, combines the two primary Hanukkah foods – dairy and fried. Ashkenazim and Sephardim enjoy these delicate pancakes for dairy meals on Hanukkah and Passover.”
Ingredients
1 pound cottage cheese, pot, or ricotta cheese
4 large eggs
About ¾ cup all-purpose flour, or matzo meal
2 tablespoons butter, melted, or sour cream
1 – 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
½ teaspoon vanilla extract or ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil or butter for frying
Directions
1. In a food processor or blender, puree the cheese, eggs, flour or matzo meal, butter or sour cream, sugar or honey, vanilla or cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
Or beat the eggs with an electric mixer until thick and creamy, then beat in the cheese and the remaining batter ingredients.
2. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease with oil or butter.
3. In batches, drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls and fry until bubbles form on the tops and the bottoms are lightly browned, about 2 – 3 minutes.
4. Turn and fry until golden brown, 1 – 2 minutes. (The pancakes may be kept warm by placing in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven.)
5. Serve accompanied with sour cream, yogurt, maple syrup, flavored butter, jam, cinnamon-sugar, or fresh fruit.
Makes about 30 (3-inch) pancakes
Alice’s Recipe Notes:
These latkes are fairly small; they are the size of blinis or silverdollar pancakes. I’m tempted to garnish each latke with smoked salmon and creme fraiche, or even caviar for a festive latke-appetizer! They’re very easy to make – a lovely alternative to traditional potato latkes. In case you are lactose intolerant, you can find lactose free Ricotta (Galbani brand), or lactose free cottage cheese (Lactaid brand) at area supermarkets. I made these with Ricotta because I love its sweetness. Making Ashkenazic Sweet Cheese Pancakes is destined to become our new-old Chanukah tradition.