Mini Pecan Schnecken Photo by Dan Kacvinski

If your mom, or the mother in your life, likes breakfast in bed, then by all means surprise her before she gets up on Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 13) with a tray filled with her favorite breakfast dishes.

If she likes french toast, she is going to love my Best French Toast recipe. Thick slices of bread are drenched in a flavored egg mixture and sautéed in butter until crisp and golden outside and luxuriously soft inside. They are served with homemade preserves and a dusting of powdered sugar.
For blintzes, I’ve included two fillings to choose from. The classic hoop cheese or farmer’s cheese version can be served with bowls of sour cream and preserves. The Italian-style ricotta and spinach filling is served with her favorite marinara sauce.
A favorite of mine is the Smoked Salmon and Caviar Omelet, unabashedly conceived with decadence in mind. We serve it in my home with toasted bagels, and — for the perfect festive touch — champagne, especially for this special day.
I often use an old Swedish-style skillet with shallow wells when making whole-wheat pancakes. When the butter bubbles and the batter is poured in, these mini pancakes become crispy around the edges. Serve with maple syrup and/or preserves.
For something different this year, try fresh homemade ricotta cheese topped with honey. The recipe is from my new cookbook, “Italy Cooks,” and it takes minutes to make, about as long as it takes to bring milk to a boil.
When I lived on a ranch in Topanga Canyon and invited guests for Sunday brunch almost every week, I got the idea for Mini Pecan Schnecken, or German sticky buns. These take some time to prepare, but can be done in steps over one or two days. They keep well in the freezer, if wrapped properly, and taste freshly baked when reheated before serving. They can also be made into larger pecan rolls, but I prefer making the smaller variety in mini-muffin pans.

THE BEST FRENCH TOAST
4 thick slices (1 1/2 to 2 inches) challah
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Powdered sugar and preserves of choice for toppings
Cut each slice of bread in half into a triangular shape.
Blend eggs, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, milk and orange zest in a large bowl. Place each slice of bread into the egg mixture and let soak on both sides until the bread absorbs the egg mixture.

Heat butter over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet and fry bread until golden brown on both sides and egg mixture is cooked, about 5 minutes. Arrange on heated serving plates, sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, and top with a spoonful of preserves.

Makes 2 servings.

CLASSIC CHEESE BLINTZES
Hoop Cheese Filling or Ricotta-
Spinach Filling (recipes follow)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
Unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose
flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sour cream and preserves
for toppings, or marinara sauce
Prepare the filling of your choice, cover with plastic wrap, and chill.
Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, sugar, flour and salt, and blend well. Pass through a fine strainer to remove any lumps that form.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in an 8-inch skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. When butter begins to bubble, pour in about 2 tablespoons of batter to cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer. Rotate the pan quickly to spread batter as thin as possible. Cook on one side until the edges begin to brown, about 1 minute. Turn onto a tea towel and transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining batter and stack blintzes with waxed paper between each. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to fill.

Fill the browned side of each blintz with the prepared filling, and fold, tucking ends in.

In a nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter. Cook blintzes on both sides until lightly browned, 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Carefully transfer blintzes with a metal spatula to serving plates. Serve with bowls of sour cream and preserves or with marinara sauce.

Makes about 2 dozen.

HOOP CHEESE
FILLING
2 pounds hoop cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill until ready to assemble the blintzes.
Makes about 3 cups.

RICOTTA-SPINACH FILLING
1 pound fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 pound spinach, steamed,
drained and chopped
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
Place ricotta cheese in a strainer for 30 minutes to drain water. In a large bowl, mix drained ricotta with remaining ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill until ready to assemble the blintzes.

Makes about 3 cups.

SMOKED SALMON AND CAVIAR OMELET
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 slices smoked salmon (lox), cut
into pieces
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
1 jar (3 ounces) salmon caviar
Heat butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and sauté green onions, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add smoked salmon and sauté 1 minute. Pour eggs into the onion mixture and cook until they begin to set around the edges. Gently stir the egg mixture with a spoon, starting from the edge, until it is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon onto heated plates and top with caviar.

Makes 2 servings.

WHOLE-WHEAT PANCAKES
1/2 cup unbleached
all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
Unsalted butter
Blend both flours, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl, using a wire whisk or an electric mixer. Beat egg, milk and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture, and stir until moistened.

Preheat a skillet or griddle to 425 F. Add additional butter, melt until bubbly, and brush to evenly coat surface, adding more if needed. Pour in batter (about 1/3 cup for an 8-inch pancake or 2 tablespoons for a 2-inch pancake). When bottom is browned and bubbles form on top, about 1 1/2 minutes, turn pancakes with a metal spatula and cook until bottom is golden brown, about 1/2 minute. Repeat procedure until all the batter is used, keeping cooked pancakes warm in the oven.

Makes about 2 dozen 2-inch or 8 8-inch pancakes.

HOMEMADE FRESH RICOTTA WITH HONEY
1/2 gallon whole milk
1 cup cream
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons lemon juice
Honey for topping
Heat the milk, cream and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until it is about to boil. Add the lemon juice, stir once, and remove from the heat when mixture begins to curdle. Let curds rest for a minute or two. Using a slotted spoon, skim the ricotta curds from the whey and place them in a colander or wire sieve lined with cheesecloth. Drain for 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a drizzle of honey.

Makes about 1 pound.

MINI PECAN SCHNECKEN
1 package active dry yeast
Sugar
1/4 cup warm water (110-115 F)
2 cups unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3 1/2 cups flour
Cooking oil
2 to 3 cups pecan halves, toasted
Brown Sugar Glaze (recipe follows)
Pecan Filling (recipe follows)
Dissolve the yeast with a pinch of sugar in the warm water. Let it stand until foamy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Cream 1 cup softened butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add 1/3 cup sugar and beat until fluffy. Blend in the salt, eggs, sour cream and yeast mixture. Continue beating until the batter is smooth. Add the flour, about 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Brush the top of the dough with 2 tablespoons oil, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Refrigerate overnight. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

Brush muffin pans with oil and place 2 pecan halves, flat sides up, in each well. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the Brown Sugar Glaze over the pecans in each well. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Divide the dough into 6 parts; roll out each part on a lightly floured board into a rectangle (4 inches wide, 12 inches long, 1/2 inch thick). Brush with 1 cup melted butter, and sprinkle generously with the Pecan Filling. Roll up the dough lengthwise, jellyroll fashion, and place it seam side down. Cut into 1-inch-thick slices. Place a slice inside each prepared well (cut side up). Cover and let rise in a warm place about 45 minutes.
Place a large sheet of foil on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any glaze that may flow over the sides of the pan. Bake the schnecken for about 12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, turn out onto a platter immediately, lift the muffin tin off slowly, and allow the glaze to flow down over the rolls.
NOTE: If preparing in advance, wrap the cooled rolls in aluminum foil, sealing well. Place them in plastic bags, and freeze.
Makes about 6 dozen.

BROWN SUGAR GLAZE
3/4 cup unsalted butter
or margarine
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/4 cup water
Combine the butter, brown sugar and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.

PECAN FILLING
1 cup golden or dark seedless
raisins, plumped
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups pecans, toasted
and coarsely chopped
Combine the raisins, sugar, cinnamon and pecans in a bowl, and mix well. Cover and set aside.

Grandma Gene’s Gefilte Fish. Photo courtesy of Judy Zeidler

We asked our guests to bring pillows or cushions to lean against as we celebrated Passover with a seder on our living room floor, which began with the symbolic foods of the holiday displayed on the seder plate.

During the first part of the evening, we eat the required foods of Passover that families have eaten for generations. Charoset is one of the few dishes that may require a recipe. A mixture of fruits, wine, nuts and spices, it represents the mortar our ancestors made while laboring as slaves in Egypt. It is prepared differently in Jewish communities all over the world depending on the ingredients available. We prepare several kinds for our seder, and one that we serve is made from a Yemenite recipe, a combination of dates, dried figs, sesame seeds, ginger, wine and a little matzah meal. Included is fresh grated horseradish, a bitter herb that is eaten with charoset and matzah.

A roasted egg, which many families dip in coarse salt, is usually served, but our family’s custom is to prepare a cold, salted, chopped egg soup instead. We eat spring onions or parsley that are dipped in saltwater, as well as boiled small new potatoes that symbolize the coming of spring. Also on the seder plate is the roasted lamb shank, representing the Pascal lamb, but vegetarians may substitute a roasted beet.

Reclining on cushions and pillows while reading from the haggadah was a wonderful experience, but serving food on the living room floor – especially matzah ball soup – would be difficult. After we finished recounting the Jewish people’s liberation from Egypt, we would move to the dining room table for a traditional Passover dinner.

We begin seder dinner with homemade gefilte fish, followed by chicken soup with matzah balls. The soup is prepared with whole chickens that are tied and put in the pot with a variety of vegetables. When the soup is done, the chickens are taken out and roasted in a tomato sauce to be served for the seder dinner. When cold, it can be made into a delicious chicken salad eaten for lunch or dinner during the remaining days of Passover.

The main course is served buffet style; everyone helps themselves to platters of roasted lamb shanks, sliced turkey with vegetable stuffing and candied sweet potatoes.

After dinner, Passover desserts include sponge cakes, cookies and chocolate-covered fruit. For a special treat this year, I am adding a Chocolate Marble Cake With Chocolate Glaze. The rich flavors of cocoa, strong coffee and chocolate make this cake extra-special. Grape Truffles are an easy addition — seedless grapes dipped in chocolate and then coated with cocoa powder are a surprise when they burst with flavor in your mouth.

Wine is an important part of the seder, and sweet concord grape wine has always been synonymous with Passover. But today, dry Passover wines are gaining in popularity, and the availability and varietals are remarkable. They are available from California, New York, France, Italy, Chile and Israel. At our seder, we provide both sweet and dry wine — as well as grape juice — to satisfy everyone’s taste.

In recent years, our seders have moved back to the dining room. But as friends and family gather around our table for Passover, they recall with fondness how we reclined on the floor to read the haggadah. I’ve considered moving the seder back to the living room, but on one condition: We keep dinner in the dining room.

YEMENITE CHAROSET

1 cup pitted, chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch coriander
1 small red chili pepper, seeded and minced, or pinch of cayenne
2 tablespoons matzah meal
1/3 cup sweet Passover wine
3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Blend the dates, figs, ginger, coriander, chili pepper, matzah meal and wine in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the knife blade. Mix in sesame seeds and transfer to a glass bowl. Roll into 1-inch balls or serve in a bowl.

Dessert variation: Dip charoset balls into melted chocolate and place on wax paper-lined baking sheet.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups or 12 balls.

GRANDMA GENE’S GEFILTE FISH

Buy whole whitefish. Have it boned, and wrap the bones, heads and skin separately for the Fish Broth. If you’re lucky, you might find roe inside the fish, which you can poach with the fish balls.

Fish Broth (recipe follows)
3 1/2 pounds filleted whitefish
2 yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 small celery stalks, sliced
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/3 cup matzah meal
1/4 to 1/3 cup cold water
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Lettuce leaves, sliced cucumber, sliced beets and horseradish sauce

Prepare the Fish Broth and keep warm.

Grind the whitefish with the onions, carrots and celery in a food grinder. Put through the grinder again. Place the ground mixture in a large mixing bowl and blend with the eggs and matzah meal. Transfer the mixture to a large wooden chopping bowl and, using a hand chopper, chop the fish mixture, adding the water gradually with 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper as you chop. (Mixture should be soft and light to the touch.) Wet your hands with additional cold water and shape the fish mixture into oval balls. Bring the Fish Broth to a boil over high heat, and place the fish balls in the broth. Cover, reduce the heat to medium high, and cook for 1 hour, or until fish is tender; do not overcook. Cool, transfer to a shallow glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and foil, and refrigerate.

To serve, arrange a lettuce leaf on each plate; top with fish and garnish with sliced cucumber and beets. Serve with horseradish sauce.

Makes 24 small fish balls.

FISH BROTH

1 1/2 yellow onions, coarsely diced (reserve peels)
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced celery tops
1 1/2 pounds fish bones, heads and skin from filleted white fish (wrap in cheese cloth)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups cold water

Place the onions, onion peels, carrot, celery tops, wrapped fish bones, heads and skin, and salt and pepper in a large pot. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 hour, adding water if needed. When the broth is very flavorful, strain out the fish bones and vegetables and discard. Keep the broth warm.

Makes about 4 cups.

CLASSIC CHICKEN SOUP WITH MINI MATZAH BALLS

2 whole chickens (3 pounds each), tied with string
3 medium onions, peeled and diced
3 to 4 quarts water (water to cover)
16 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
5 celery stalks with tops, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 parsley sprigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Mini Matzah Balls (recipe follows)

Place the chickens, onions and enough water to cover in a large, heavy Dutch oven or pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and, using a large spoon, skim off the scum that rises to the top. Add the carrots, celery, parsnips and parsley. Cover, leaving the lid ajar, and simmer for 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Uncover and simmer 30 minutes more.

With a slotted spoon, remove chickens, and let the soup cool to room temperature; then refrigerate.

When ready to serve, remove the fat that has hardened on the top, bring the soup to a boil, add Mini Matzah Balls and simmer. Ladle into heated soup bowls.

Makes about 12 servings.

MINI MATZAH BALLS

These tiny matzah balls were inspired by an Italian technique for making the small flour-and-potato dumplings known as gnocchi: The dumpling mixture is spooned into a pastry bag and piped directly into the hot soup.

3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups matzah meal
2 quarts chicken soup

Put the egg yolks, water, salt and pepper in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites in a large mixing bowl until they form stiff peaks; do not overbeat. Gently fold the yolk mixture alternately with the matzah meal into the egg whites until well blended, using only enough matzah meal to make a light, firm dough.

For each matzah ball, drop a tablespoon of mixture into rapidly boiling soup. (Or spoon this mixture into a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tube opening. Hold the bag over the simmering soup and squeeze out the dough in 1-inch lengths, cutting them off at the tip of the tube with a sharp knife.) Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Do not uncover during this cooking time.

Makes 16 mini or 12 large matzah balls.

ROASTED LAMB SHANKS

4 meaty lamb shanks, about 1 pound each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
2 onions
2 carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into pieces
1 head of garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
1 can (14.5 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup red wine
8 sprigs fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Trim any excess fat from lamb shanks. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large roasting pan, add lamb shanks and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, undrained tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and add lamb shanks. Add wine and simmer for 10 minutes. Top with sprigs of rosemary, baste with sauce, cover and bake for 2 to 3 hours, until meat is falling away from the bone.

Arrange on a large serving plate and let guests help themselves.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Passover Chocolate Marble Cake With Chocolate Glaze. Photo by Dan Kacvinski

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Blend 3/4 cup sugar with the salt and oil. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift together the potato starch and matzah cake meal; add to the egg yolk mixture alternately with the apple juice.

Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff enough to hold a peak. Fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Pour half of the batter into another bowl and reserve.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa and coffee and fold mixture into the reserved batter.

Pour the 2 batters alternately (about 1 cup at a time) into a 10-inch tube pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in it comes out dry. Remove the cake from the oven, immediately invert the pan and let it cool. Loosen the sides and center of the cake with a sharp knife and unmold it onto a cake plate. Drizzle the Chocolate Glaze over the cake.

Makes about 12 servings.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

8 ounces Passover semisweet chocolate, cut into pieces
1/4 cup orange marmalade or apricot preserves
1/2 cup brewed espresso coffee, cooled

Place chocolate, marmalade and espresso in the top of a double boiler over simmering water (or melt in a microwave). Using a wire whisk, beat until smooth.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

GRAPE TRUFFLES

8 ounces Passover semisweet chocolate, melted
2 cups seedless grapes (white or red), rinsed and completely dried
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Line a large glass dish or baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water or in a microwave until almost melted with small lumps. Using a wire whisk, beat until smooth and beginning to thicken.

Using a small spoon, dip each grape in the melted chocolate and place on wax paper-lined dish. Chill in the refrigerator. When chocolate has hardened, remove grapes from refrigerator, toss or roll in cocoa powder, and return to wax paper-lined dish. To serve, arrange on a doily-covered platter.

Makes about 3 dozen.

ALMOND MACAROONS

3 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
5 tablespoons matzah cake meal
1 1/4 cups unpeeled ground almonds
Pinch salt
Grated peel of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat; brush with oil and set aside.

Beat whites until stiff, not dry. Combine sugar, matzah cake meal, ground almonds, salt and lemon peel in a large mixing bowl and fold into beaten egg whites. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls or from pastry bag onto prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about 24 cookies.

Clockwise from top: Poppy Seed Cheesecake, Purim Seed Crisps, Poppy Seed Hazelnut Cookies, Korjas (Crisp Poppy Seed Thins). Photo by Dan Kacvinski

Over time, I have developed desserts inspired by the traditional poppy seed hamantaschen that are served during Purim, and my family celebrates the holiday with a variety of Purim desserts, which are either filled with poppy seeds or include poppy seeds in the batter.

This year I am making several cookie recipes, including one that combines poppy seeds with hazelnuts for a crunchy, distinctive flavor — a perfect dessert companion to accompany your Purim dessert table – as well as lacy, flourless Purim Seed Crisps.

My husband Marvin’s favorites are Korjas, paper-thin poppy seed cookies, a traditional family recipe that was given to me many years ago by my friend Della Spector. This recipe makes hundreds of cookies, similar in texture to potato chips. I never cut the recipe in half; the raw dough stores well in the refrigerator or freezer and is ready to roll out and bake at any time.

Poppy Seed Cheesecake is a creamy confection with an almond nut crust that is filled with poppy seeds and topped with sour cream. A small slice is so satisfying that one cheesecake can serve at least 20. For mishloach manot, or Purim gift baskets, make mini cheesecakes using the same recipe and muffin tins.

Start Purim day with a breakfast of Poppy Seed Pound Cake, which can be served toasted and topped with sweet butter or jam. It is a delicious treat that goes well with your morning cappuccino.

A tip for the baker in the family: I bake all my cookie recipes on a silicone baking mat to ensure that the cookies come off easily and never get stuck to the pan. You can store any of the cookie recipes in the refrigerator or freezer before baking; just defrost, roll out, and bake for everyone to enjoy.

PURIM SEED CRISPS

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 tablespoons millet seeds

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine butter, sugar, corn syrup and milk in a medium skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the butter is melted and all the ingredients are combined thoroughly. Mix in the seeds. Transfer to a glass bowl. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and stored in the freezer for 1 month.)

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat. Using 1 teaspoon of batter at a time, shape batter into rounds the size of a nickel. Place rounds 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. (Bake six at a time, as the cookies spread significantly.)

Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. (Watch closely — they brown quickly.) Let cool completely then carefully peel off of the foil, or, if using a silicone baking mat, remove cookies with a metal spatula.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

KORJAS (CRISP POPPY SEED THINS)

1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 ounces poppy seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Add oil and 1 1/2 cups sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and blend together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs until smooth. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the milk alternately with the sifted dry ingredients to the oil mixture, beating after each addition. Blend in the poppy seeds. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 4 days and stored in the freezer for 3 weeks.)

Remove the dough a heaping teaspoon at a time onto a generously floured board or a sheet of wax paper. Roll out the dough into a thin rectangle, about 8 by 11 inches. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into diamond shapes and place them on a greased baking sheet or silicone baking mat. Mix together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the cookies.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool.

Makes about 200 cookies.

POPPY SEED HAZELNUT COOKIES

1 cup unsalted butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped hazelnuts,
toasted

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Add butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer, and blend until creamy. Add egg and vanilla.

In another bowl, stir together flour, poppy seeds, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, blending thoroughly. Add hazelnuts, mixing to distribute evenly. On a floured board, shape dough into three or four rolls, each 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until firm.

Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 1/8-inch thin slices: place slices about 1/2 inch apart on a foil or a silicone mat-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden. Transfer to racks and cool.

Makes about 8 dozen cookies.

POPPY SEED POUND CAKE

1 cup unsalted butter or margarine
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup poppy seeds
Grated peel of 1 lemon
1/2 cup ground almonds

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Cream butter, cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and blend until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until creamy. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt and add to cream cheese mixture.

Mix together poppy seeds, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, lemon peel and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Coat a 9 1/2-inch bundt pan with additional butter, all of the ground almonds and 3 tablespoons of the poppy seed mixture. Spoon 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture into pan.

Top cream cheese mixture with 1/2 of remaining poppy seed mixture. Spread another 1/3 of cream cheese mixture over the seeds and sprinkle with remaining poppy seed mixture. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until cake is dry when tested in the center. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Keeps for at least 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature or warm, sliced thin.

Note: Mixture also may be placed in 6 (5-by-3 inch) loaf pans and baked at 325 F for 1 hour.

Makes 1 (9 1/2-inch) cake, 16 servings.

POPPY SEED CHEESECAKE

Almond Nut Crust (recipe follows)
2 cups sour cream
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons poppy seeds
4 eggs

Prepare, bake, and cool the Almond Nut Crust; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Add sour cream, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract to a small bowl. Blend well, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Add cream cheese, remaining 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons poppy seeds to the bowl of an electric mixer, and blend until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and remaining 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Pour this filling into the baked Almond Nut Crust.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the center is set and the top is golden. Remove the cake from the oven. Spread the prepared sour cream mixture on top and return cake to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons poppy seeds. Cool. Remove from springform pan, and serve.

Makes 1 (9-inch) cheesecake, 18 to 20 servings.

ALMOND NUT CRUST

1 1/2 cups unpeeled whole almonds
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Mix almonds and sugar in a food processor or blender, and blend until the almonds are coarsely chopped. Add the butter and almond extract, and process just until the mixture begins to come together. Press the almond mixture evenly into the bottom and 1⁄4 inch up the sides of 9-inch springform pan.

Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Cool.

Photos by Dan Kacvinski

POPPY SEED HAMANTASHEN

∗ 1/4 pound unsalted butter or margarine, softened
∗ 1/2 cup sugar
∗ 3 eggs
∗ Grated zest of 1 orange
∗ 2 cups flour
∗ 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
∗ 1/4 teaspoon salt
∗ 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
∗ Poppy Seed Filling or 3 (8-ounce) cans poppy seed filling
∗ Preheat oven to 375 F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until well blended. Beat in 2 of the eggs and the orange zest, blending thoroughly. Add flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds; blend until dough is smooth.
Transfer to floured board and divide dough into 3 or 4 portions for easier handling. Flatten each portion with the palm of your hand and roll it out 1/4 inch thick. With a scalloped or plain cookie cutter, cut into 3-inch rounds. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of Poppy Seed Filling in the center of each round. Fold the edges of the dough toward the center to form a triangle, leaving a bit of the filling visible in the center. Pinch edges to seal them.
Place hamantashen, 1/2 inch apart, on a lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet. Lightly beat remaining egg and use it to brush the unbaked hamantashen. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to racks to cool.
Makes 5 to 6 dozen.

POPPY SEED FILLING
∗ 4 ounces poppy seeds
∗ 1/2 cup milk
∗ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or margarine
∗ 1/4 cup seedless raisins
∗ 1/4 cup walnuts, pecans or almonds, toasted
∗ 1 tablespoon honey
∗ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
In a medium saucepan, combine the poppy seeds, milk, butter, raisins, walnuts and honey. Bring to a boil and stir over medium heat until the milk is absorbed and the mixture thickens. Let mixture cool; stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

APRICOT-COCONUT FILLING
∗ 2 cups apricot preserves
∗ 1/2 cup shredded coconut
∗ 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
∗ Grated peel of 1 lemon
Combine all ingredients in a bowl; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.
Makes about 3 cups.

FILO HAMANTASHEN
∗ 1/2 pound unsalted butter or margarine
∗ 1/4 cup oil
∗ 2 cups finely ground almonds
∗ 1/4 cup sugar
∗ 1 (1-pound) package filo sheets
∗ Filling of your choice (see sidebar)
∗ Honey-Sugar Syrup (recipe follows)
∗ Preheat oven to 350 F.
Combine butter and oil in medium saucepan over low heat, cooking until butter melts.
Combine almonds and sugar and set aside.
Place a clean, damp towel on work area and cover it with a large sheet of wax paper. Work with 1 sheet of filo at a time (keep the remaining filo covered with additional wax paper and a second damp towel). Cut filo sheet evenly into 2-inch strips. Work with each strip on top of the large sheet of wax paper placed on top of the damp kitchen towel. Brush strips with butter mixture and sprinkle with almond mixture. Place 1 teaspoon of desired filling 1 inch from the short edge of each strip. Fold one corner over the filling. Fold up filo, flag fashion, in a triangle along its length to make a neat triangular package. Repeat with remaining strips and filling.
Brush baking sheets with butter mixture; place hamantashen on baking sheets, 1/2 inch apart. Brush with butter mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and spoon Honey-Sugar Syrup over each triangle. Cool on racks.
Makes about 6 dozen.

HONEY-SUGAR SYRUP
∗ 1 cup sugar
∗ 1/2 cup water
∗ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
∗ 1 tablespoon honey
Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Boil briskly for 5 minutes. Stir in honey. Pour into heat-proof pitcher.

EASTERN EUROPEAN HAMANTASHEN
∗ 1 envelope dry yeast
∗ 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
∗ 1/2 cup hot milk
∗ 1/4 cup unsalted butter
∗ 1/4 cup sugar
∗ 3 eggs
∗ 2 cups flour
∗ 1/4 teaspoon salt
∗ Filling of your choice (see sidebar)
∗ Preheat oven to 350 F.
Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine hot milk, butter, sugar and 2 eggs, and blend thoroughly. Add yeast mixture and blend. Add flour and salt, a little at a time, blending thoroughly to make a soft dough. Place dough on a floured board and knead 2 to 3 minutes, adding additional flour if dough is sticky. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, oil top of dough, cover with a towel and set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Roll out half of dough at a time, to 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into 3-inch rounds. Spoon a teaspoon of desired filling in the center of each round and pinch closed on top to make a triangle.
Place hamantashen on a greased cookie sheet. Beat remaining egg lightly; brush hamantashen with the beaten egg. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes about 2 dozen.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE HAMANTASHEN
∗ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
∗ 3/4 cup sugar
∗ 1/2 teaspoon salt
∗ 1 teaspoon almond extract
∗ 1 egg
∗ 1 1/3 cups flour
∗ 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
∗ 1 teaspoon baking powder
∗ 3 to 4 tablespoons whipping cream
∗ Chocolate-Nut Filling (see sidebar)
∗ Preheat oven to 350 F.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar, salt and almond extract until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix thoroughly. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder and baking powder; add to butter mixture alternately with whipping cream. (More or less cream may be needed, depending on the consistency of the dough.) Turn dough out onto wax paper and form into a flattened disc. Chill for at least one hour.
Roll chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut into 3-inch circles.
Place Chocolate-Nut Filling in center of dough circles, brush edges with water, carefully fold in the edges to form a triangular shape, and pinch the corners to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until crust is baked through.
Makes about 2 dozen.

LOW-CHOLESTEROL HAMANTASHEN
These hamantashen can be frozen before baking, so they can be made ahead and baked fresh on Purim.
∗ 7 egg whites
∗ 1 cup sugar
∗ 3/4 cup oil
∗ 1 teaspoon vanilla
∗ 4 1/2 cups flour
∗ 1 tablespoon baking powder
∗ 1/2 teaspoon salt
∗ 1/4 cup poppy seeds
∗ Filling of your choice (see sidebar)
∗ Preheat oven to 350 F.
In large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together 6 egg whites, sugar, oil and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. Blend flour mixture into egg mixture; mix well.
Roll out portions of dough on a floured board and cut into 3 1/2- inch circles with scalloped or plain cookie cutter. Place a teaspoon of desired filling in center of each circle of dough. Bring up edges of dough to cover filling and pinch together to form a triangle. Beat remaining egg white; brush it lightly over hamantashen. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
Makes about 5 dozen.

CHOCOLATE-NUT FILLING
∗ 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
∗ 1 cup sugar
∗ 1/2 cup milk, whipping cream or coffee
∗ 2 cups chopped almonds, toasted
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; blend thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

CARAMEL-PECAN FILLING
∗ 3/4 cup sugar
∗ 1/4 cup water
∗ 2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
∗ 7 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
∗ 1/2 cup milk or non-dairy creamer
∗ 1/4 cup honey
In heavy saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add pecans, butter and milk. Return saucepan to heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in honey; let mixture cool. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until set. This will keep, refrigerated, for at least 1 week.
Makes about 3 cups.

APPLESAUCE FILLING
∗ 1 cup applesauce
∗ 1/2 cup raisins, plumped in hot water and drained
∗ 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
∗ 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a bowl; blend well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.

Makes about 3 cups.

QUICK PRUNE FILLING
∗ 1 (15-ounce) jar cooked pitted prunes, drained, or 2 cups pitted
∗ stewed prunes
∗ 1/4 cup sugar
∗ 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
∗ 1 teaspoon orange juice
∗ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.

Makes about 2 cups.

WALNUT-HONEY FILLING
∗ 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
∗ 1/4 cup honey
∗ 1/3 cup bread crumbs
∗ Zest of 1 orange
In a saucepan, combine walnuts, honey and bread crumbs. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest; let mixture cool. Cover with plastic.

Corn soup. Photo by Dan Kacvinski

Soup is my favorite comfort food. It can have as few as three ingredients — the best results come from the quality of the ingredients and the use of ripe vegetables. Onions provide more than just flavor; they form a base that acts as a catalyst for any protein.

Making soup is easy. It requires very little special equipment and can be served in a mug, bowl or even in an espresso or cappuccino cup with a small spoon. It may be served as a snack, an accompaniment for a sandwich, at the beginning of the meal, as a main course or as the entire meal.
When on vacation in Italy, we visit the daily open market — our favorite is in the small Tuscan village of San Casciano, outside Florence. One family has a stand that sells only Parmesan cheese, and when the young son with light blue eyes looks up at his patrons after cutting off a piece of cheese for them, he always asks if they would like some of the outside rind. He explains that when added to a vegetable soup during the cooking, it lends a delicious flavor.

Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celery, turnips, parsnips, zucchini, onion, leeks, corn and cabbage are some of the ingredients I use for soup, along with herbs such as rosemary, dill or fennel. Soup is fundamentally the most economical of foods, a means of making leftovers and scraps into a satisfying meal.

Soups, hot or chilled, become more intriguing and a festive presentation when garnished with olive oil, chopped vegetables, fresh-made salsa or grated cheese. Serve with crusty Italian peasant bread that is crisp on the outside, soft and warm inside.
Corn Soup

This recipe is for a dairy menu. For a pareve soup, use vegetable stock or water and nondairy margarine instead of butter.

2 large ears of corn (to yield 2 cups fresh corn kernels)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or nondairy margarine
1 onion, finely diced
2 cups milk or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salsa garnish (tomato, onion, cilantro)
Shuck the corn, cut the kernels off the cob, and set aside.

Melt butter in a pot; add onion and sauté 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Add milk and bring to a boil. Add corn kernels and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon onion mixture into a blender or a food processor and blend until desired consistency. Transfer to pot, add salt and pepper to taste and heat thoroughly. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with salsa.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Broccoli Soup
2 pounds fresh broccoli with stems
Water
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place broccoli in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer until broccoli is tender when pierced with a fork. Transfer broccoli to a large measuring cup or bowl and set aside. Reserve cooking liquid. Heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté onions and garlic until soft. In three batches, place broccoli with onion mixture and 2 or 3 ladles of cooking liquid in a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy. Pour broccoli mixture into a pot and continue blending with the remaining broccoli, onion mixture and cooking liquid.

Bring to a simmer, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

NOTE: You may substitute cauliflower for broccoli for a delicious variation.

Ribollita (Twice-boiled Soup)
From “Italy Cooks” by Judy Zeidler
We became fans of Ribollita, which literally translates as “reboiled,” when we rented a house in Umbria from Italian artist Piero Dorazio and his cook served us this hearty soup. The Dorazios’ vegetable and herb garden made it easy to prepare large amounts of this classic dish for ourselves while we were staying at their villa. Whenever we were ready to have dinner we would simply reheat it. We purchased fresh bread daily, so we always had day-old bread available to thicken this soup.

1 to 1 1⁄2 cups dried cannellini beans or 3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans
Water
2 large leeks, white and green parts separated, washed thoroughly in cold water
1/4 cup olive oil
10 large leaves cavolo nero (or use kale, chard or spinach)
1⁄2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices day-old Italian bread, toasted and cubed
Olive oil for garnish
Grated Parmesan cheese

Soak the beans in a large bowl of cold water for at least two hours or overnight. Drain the beans and add to a stockpot, along with 4 cups of cold water; bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until beans are tender (at least 1 hour, depending on freshness of the beans), adding additional water as needed (about 4 more cups in all).

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium-size pot; add the sliced green part of leeks and boil until tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer boiled leeks with a little of their liquid to a blender and blend until smooth; set aside. (Reserve the remaining liquid.)

Heat olive oil in a large pot; add thinly sliced white part of leeks and sauté over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add liquid from boiled green leek tops and cook for 5 minutes. Add cavolo nero, red cabbage, diced tomato, thyme and leek puree. Bring to a simmer. Add drained beans and salt and pepper to taste; bring to a boil. (Add additional liquid if needed.) Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add bread cubes and cook 30 minutes longer.

To serve, ladle soup into heated bowls, top with a splash of fresh olive oil, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Makes about 8 to 10 servings.

Mushroom Barley Soup
The technique of sautéing all the ingredients before adding the stock brings out the intense mushroom flavor of this robust soup.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
3/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons pearl barley
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon dry sherry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat; sauté onion, celery and carrots, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Add stock, soy sauce, barley, thyme and sherry. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, ladle into heated soup bowls.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Sufganiyot (Jelly doughnuts) deep-frying rule

Chanukah, often called the festival of lights, is a joyous holiday that is celebrated at home instead of taking place in the synagogue. Families light candles and enjoy the traditional foods that are fried in oil, recalling the miracle that occurred in ancient times, when a one-day supply of oil burned in the Temple for eight days.

For many years, we shared Gramma Eva’s brisket recipe with friends at our Chanukah meals, but as our food focus changed, so too did the menu. One year, we served meatloaf and cabbage borscht. After a trip to Brazil, we had a feijoada stew for our Chanukah family dinner, and last year, the main course was fried chicken.

This year, we are going back to our traditional Chanukah fare, but with a few additions. I am roasting Beef Brisket With Prunes in a Wine Sauce, almost like a tzimmes, and serving it with an Italian-inspired green tomato marmalade and crisp potato latkes.

I still remember using a hand-held grater to help my mother make the potato mixture for the latkes. Today, the food processor cuts down on the time it takes to prepare the old family recipe. To make the latke batter in minutes, use the food processor’s knife blade to chop the onions and the shredder blade to grate the potatoes, and then just add them to a bowl with the remaining ingredients.

We begin frying the latkes when family and friends arrive at our home; meanwhile, our grandchildren spin the dreidel, a game that dates back to ancient times. Before dinner, as the guests exchange greetings, we serve Fried Zucchini Sticks. Then we sit down to a salad of shredded lettuce tossed with sliced tomatoes, fresh fennel and topped with fried parsnip chips. The main course — brisket, green tomato marmalade and potato latkes — is served family style, and everyone helps themselves.

Carrying out the Chanukah theme for dessert, we serve homemade jam-filled doughnuts, which everyone loves. Served in many countries during the holiday, they take on different names. In Israel, they are known as sufganiyot; in Italy they are called bombolini, and in Poland they refer to them as ponchiks. No matter what they are called, they are delicious. Simply fry the doughnuts, roll in sugar and serve them with a bowl of melted chocolate for dipping.

The doughnuts can be made in advance, and stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Before serving, just reheat and roll in sugar. Make an extra batch for your guests to take home — they are delicious for breakfast the next day.

But the party is not over. After dessert, everyone returns to the living room, where the gifts wrapped in colorful Chanukah paper are waiting to be opened by the children.

GREEN TOMATO MARMALADE
From “Italy Cooks,” by Judy Zeidler.

If you saw the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes,” you may think the only way to cook green tomatoes is to fry them. The truth is they also make a wonderful marmalade that’s a perfect accompaniment to the brisket and potato latkes.

While living in Italy we were invited to a cooking class at Nittardi Winery in Tuscany taught by Kalus Trebes, chef/owner of Gargantua Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany. He shared this recipe. It is so versatile that I always keep a jar in the refrigerator. Not only is it delicious on toast or a frittata for breakfast, it is also a perfect accompaniment to meat or chicken.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
8 cups diced green tomatoes (2 pounds)
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, heated
Grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon

In a large, heavy skillet, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar begins to turn golden. Add the tomatoes, heated orange juice and zest. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the tomatoes are soft and the liquid has reduced to a thick syrup, about 30 minutes. Cool.

Makes about 3 to 4 cups.

BEEF BRISKET ROASTED WITH PRUNES IN A WINE SAUCE

This roast is best served well done. It is important to slice the cooked meat against the grain.

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 onions, thinly sliced
1 (6- to 8-pound) lean beef brisket
5 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 (28-ounce) can peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 to 2 cups red wine
1 head garlic, cloves separated, unpeeled
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound pitted prunes

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Heat the oil in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and onions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

Transfer garlic and onions to a large roasting pot and place meat on top, fat side up. Add carrots, parsley, tomatoes, wine and unpeeled garlic cloves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, cover, and bake for 2 to 3 hours, or until meat is tender. Add the prunes the last 30 minutes of baking.

Transfer the meat to a wooden board and slice. Return to pot and keep warm.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

SUFGANIYOT (JELLY DOUGHNUTS) DEEP-FRYING RULE

The temperature of the cooking oil is very important when frying doughnuts: If it is too cool, the doughnuts will absorb it and be greasy; if it is too hot, the doughnuts will burn on the outside and remain uncooked inside. Use a frying (candy) thermometer to establish and maintain the proper heat.

These doughnuts can be fried one or two days in advance and refrigerated in plastic bags. When ready to serve, heat in the oven and they will puff up as if they were just fried.

1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 F)
Granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine, melted
1 egg, separated
2 teaspoons orange juice
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raspberry or strawberry jam
Vegetable oil for frying

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add a pinch of sugar and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Blend margarine, egg yolk, orange juice and yeast mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer. Gradually add flour, 2 teaspoons sugar and salt and blend well. Cover with a towel and let rise until the dough doubles, about 45 minutes.

Place dough on a well-floured board and knead into a flat disc, adding more flour if needed. Roll dough out with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Using a cooking cutter, cut out 2-inch rounds. Top half the rounds in the middle with 1 teaspoon of jam and brush the edges with the egg white. Place plain rounds on top of jam-covered rounds; pinch edges closed to seal. Place doughnuts on a parchment-covered cookie sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise, about 45 minutes.

Reseal each doughnut.

Using a deep fryer or a heavy pot and a frying thermometer, heat about 4 inches of oil to 375 degrees. Fry three or four doughnuts at a time, turning them with a slotted spoon or tongs when one side is browned, and continuing to fry until brown all over, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

To serve, roll doughnuts in 1 cup of granulated sugar and serve immediately, or, to reheat, place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.

Makes about 12 doughnuts.

FRIED ZUCCHINI STICKS

These crisp and crunchy zucchini sticks go well with any menu. They are best fried at the last moment. But, if prepared ahead and reheated in a hot oven, they can be just as crisp.

4 medium zucchini, unpeeled
1 cup flour
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
Vegetable oil for frying

Slice zucchini lengthwise into quarters; cut in half crosswise and set aside.

Place the flour in a small paper bag and set aside. Place the bread crumbs and dried basil in another small bag. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. Place the eggs in a bowl and beat well.

Drop 4 to 6 zucchini sticks into the bag containing the flour, shaking the bag to coat. Transfer to a metal strainer and shake off the excess flour. Dip the flour-coated zucchini sticks into the beaten egg and then coat with the bread crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. (You can hold the zucchini sticks at this point for at least 1 hour.)

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer or wok to 375 F.

Drop the coated zucchini sticks into the heated oil and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Transfer them to a napkin-covered platter and serve immediately.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

FOOD PROCESSOR POTATO LATKES

1 large yellow onion, peeled
4 medium baking potatoes, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying

Chop the onion into small dice with the knife blade in a food processor. Remove the knife blade, insert the shredder blade, and grate the potatoes. Immediately transfer the potato and onion mixture to a large bowl, and add the lemon juice, eggs, flour, baking soda, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Heat 1/8 inch of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spoon the batter, about 1/3 cup at a time, into the hot oil and flatten with the back of the spoon to make 2- to 3-inch latkes. Cook on one side until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes; then turn and cook on the other side, about 2 minutes. (Turn only once.) Drain the latkes well on paper towels and serve immediately.

Makes about 2 dozen latkes.

Sicilian rice cakes (Risotto latkes)

Chanukah favorites include latkes and sufganiyot (deep-fried jelly-filled doughnuts). These and other Chanukah specialties will be enjoyed by many families during the eight-day holiday, which begins at sundown on Dec. 20.

Chanukah is always a festive occasion for my family. We gather together on at least one of the eight nights to celebrate with favorite foods and exchange gifts, and the children spin the dreidel, a game that dates back to ancient times.

This year, a different flavor will be added to our menu by including some of the recipes I collected in Italy with Chanukah in mind.

Olive oil is the oil of choice in Italy and a healthful one, as it is among the highest in monounsaturated fat.

The recipes I have chosen offer a wide variety of authentic Italian flavors. There is even a latke made with polenta (boiled cornmeal). Shaped into pancakes and fried in oil, it can be served with olive paste or your favorite latke topping.

Sicilian Rice Cakes, also called L’Orancini — or, as I like to call them, Risotto Latkes — are made with Italian arborio rice and filled with two Italian cheeses, tomato paste and parsley, and are hearty enough to serve as a vegetarian main course.

For an Italian sweet touch, make Farfallette (Butterfly) cookies. Ribbons of dough are twisted and tied into butterfly shapes, fried in oil and dusted with powdered sugar. Another favorite is Scavatelle, deep-fried pastries. I can’t help but think how perfect these fritters, fried in olive oil and dipped in a honey syrup, would be to serve for our Chanukah celebration.

SICILIAN RICE CAKES (RISOTTO LATKES)

1/2 cup chopped or grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 cup breadcrumbs
Risotto (recipe follows)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Combine mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley and tomato sauce in a small bowl.

Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle hands lightly with breadcrumbs, scoop up 1 tablespoon of Risotto in your hands and shape into a flat oval; make an indentation in the center of each with your thumb. Place 1 teaspoon of mozzarella mixture in the center and cover the oval with another tablespoon of the Risotto. Mold into 2- to 3-inch ovals, enclosing mozzarella mixture completely. Roll in breadcrumbs to coat.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet, and fry rice cakes, a few at a time, until crisp and golden brown on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to paper towels to drain.

Makes about 12.

RISOTTO

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 cups arborio rice
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy skillet. Add onion and sauté over medium heat until soft. Add rice and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add 1 or 2 ladles of hot broth or enough to cover the rice. Cook, stirring constantly, as the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth, a little at a time, until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, whipping cream and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes longer. Cool.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

POLENTA FRITTA (CORNMEAL LATKES)

2 1/2 quarts milk or water
2 1/2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons salt or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 jar (6 ounces) olive paste

Bring milk to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Pour the cornmeal in slowly, in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has absorbed and the cornmeal is thick, about 30 minutes.

Wet a large cutting board with water; spread the cooked polenta evenly over the surface with a wet spatula to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Set aside until completely cooled.

Cut polenta into 3-inch rounds with a cookie cutter.

In a nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil and fry the latkes until golden brown on both sides. Spread with olive paste.

Makes 24 Risotto Latkes.

FARFALLETTE DOLCE (SWEET BUTTERFLIES)

2 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon
juice
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon sweet wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying
Powdered sugar

Beat egg yolks in a large bowl. Blend in granulated sugar. Add lemon juice, milk, wine and olive oil. Gradually add flour and salt, mixing well after each addition.

Knead dough on a floured board until smooth. Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

Roll dough out very thin. With pastry cutter or sharp knife, cut dough into strips 6 inches long and 3/4 inches wide. Tie each strip into a knot to make butterfly shapes.

Heat vegetable oil to 370 F in a deep fryer or deep, heavy pot. Fry pastries until golden brown on both sides, turning once, being careful not to crowd. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Cool. Place on a large platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 2 dozen.

SCAVATELLE (FRIED PASTRIES)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon olive oil
Peel of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup flour
Honey Syrup (recipe follows)
Olive oil for frying

Place water, cinnamon stick, olive oil, lemon peel, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove peel and cinnamon stick. Add flour all at once and, using a wooden spoon, mix until dough comes together. It will be lumpy.

Spoon dough onto a floured board, punch down, and knead into a flat disc to remove lumps. Pull off pieces of dough and roll out into thin ropes. Cut into 6-inch ropes and, working with one rope, bring one end of the rope around to form a loop, crossing over the other end (leaving 1-inch ends) and pinching to resemble a bow tie. Place on paper towels and cover with a clean, dry dish towel.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan and fry pastries until browned. Dip in Honey Syrup and serve at once.

Makes about 4 dozen.

HONEY SYRUP

1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon sugar
Peel of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon water

Place honey, sugar, lemon peel and water in a saucepan. Mix well, simmer over low heat, and discard lemon peel.

Makes about 1/4 cup.

Cranberry muffin surprises. Photos by Dan Kacvinski

When it comes to the Thanksgiving menu, I like to plan a lot of old-fashioned farmhouse food with a few innovative ideas. Begin your dinner with an espresso-size cup of Pumpkin Soup garnished with a sprinkling of pumpkin or pomegranate seeds. Serve muffins with cranberry sauce in the center — it will be a surprise when your guests break them open.

Everyone enjoys a handsome, golden-brown, roasted turkey. If my family had to choose the stuffing for the turkey, it would be Grandma Mollie’s Vegetable Stuffing. My mother was proud of her stuffing and used it with chicken as well as turkey. She did not cook the ingredients separately, but mixed everything together and placed it in the bird. I have found that sautéing the vegetables first allows them to cook more evenly and gives the flavors a chance to blend. I have added raisins for a sweeter taste that’s especially festive for the holiday.

Red Cabbage With Apples adds a sweet and tangy flavor to the meal, and its purple color is the first thing you notice. Adding a splash of something acidic — vinegar, red wine or lemon juice — helps maintain the purple color, which often disappears during cooking.

The baking and much of the rest of the menu can be started days in advance to allow time to arrange the table with festive Thanksgiving decorations. They can be as simple as autumn leaves in a vase; an assortment of pumpkins and squash; or a cornucopia of polished apples, grapes and nuts.

We pour cider for the children and a light red wine for the grownups, and catch up on all the news while enjoying our family feast.

For the perfect ending to your dinner, serve an assortment of desserts, including Chocolate Raspberry Brownies and a Cranberry Meringue Tart.

PUMPKIN SOUP

Pumpkin soup

In a heavy saucepan, heat the margarine and sauté the onion, leek and garlic until tender. Add the apple and pumpkin slices and sauté for 3 minutes or until tender. Add the stock, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the pumpkin mixture into a food processor. Process the mixture, slowly adding the broth 1 cup at a time, until puréed. Return the puréed mixture to the saucepan and simmer briskly for 10 minutes, or until the soup thickens. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Ladle into heated cappuccino cups or soup bowls and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds or pomegranate seeds.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

CRANBERRY MUFFIN SURPRISES

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted margarine, melted and cooled to room temperature
3/4 cup orange juice, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1 large egg
1/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine both flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; blend well.

In a medium bowl, mix margarine, orange juice, molasses and egg with a wire whisk until well blended. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture just until combined.

Spoon one heaping tablespoonful of batter into each of the prepared muffin cups. Make a small indentation in the batter with your finger or the handle of a wooden spoon. Carefully fill each indentation with about a measuring teaspoon of cranberry sauce, making sure the sauce is in the center of the batter and not touching the sides of the cups. Gently spoon on the remaining batter, trying not to disturb the sauce.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely, or serve while hot.

Makes 12 muffins.

TURKEY WITH VEGETABLE STUFFING

1 turkey (15 to 20 pounds)
Grandma Mollie’s Vegetable Stuffing (recipe follows)
1/4 cup safflower or vegetable oil
1 cup apricot preserves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 325 F.

Clean the fully thawed turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Spoon the cooled stuffing into both cavities and close with a needle and thread or skewers. Rub the outside of the turkey with the oil and apricot preserves and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grease the inside (unprinted side) of a large brown paper bag, or use a large plastic baking bag. Place the turkey, neck first and breast down, inside the bag. For a paper bag, fold the open ends and seal it with paper clips or staples; if using a plastic baking bag, tie it with plastic ties supplied in the package. Place the turkey on a large rack inside a roasting pan lined with heavy-duty foil. Roast in preheated oven for 3 hours or more, depending on the size of the turkey. (See suggested cooking times below.)

About 30 minutes before the turkey is done, make a slit in the bag under the turkey and let the liquid drain into a saucepan. When all the juices are poured off, remove the bag and turn the turkey over, breast side up. Return the turkey to the oven to brown for the remaining cooking time. Skim the fat that forms from the juices, discard fat, and heat the juices. Remove the stuffing and transfer to a heated bowl. Carve the turkey and arrange the slices, legs and wings on a large platter. Serve the juices in a gravy boat.

Suggested Cooking Time for Stuffed Turkeys:

10 to 12 pounds: 3 to 3 1/2 hours
14 to 16 pounds: 4 to 5 hours
18 to 20 pounds: 5 to 6 hours

GRANDMA MOLLIE’S VEGETABLE STUFFING

1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 bunch carrots, peeled and grated
1 parsnip, peeled and grated
2 large zucchinis, grated
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 to 1 cup golden raisins, plumped in water, sweet wine or apple juice, and drained
8 to 10 mushrooms, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons uncooked quick or old-fashioned oats
2 to 3 tablespoons flour
2 to 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
1/4 cup dry red wine
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic until transparent. Add celery, carrots, parsnip and zucchini; toss well. Sauté for 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add parsley, raisins and mushrooms; mix thoroughly. Simmer 5 minutes. Blend in 1 tablespoon at a time of the oats, flour and bread crumbs, until the mixture holds together. Add wine and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

RED CABBAGE WITH APPLES

1 large red cabbage (2 1/2 pounds)
2/3 cup wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine
2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 whole onion, peeled and pierced with 2 cloves
1 bay leaf, crushed
5 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons dry red wine
3 tablespoons red currant jelly
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Wash cabbage under cold water and cut into quarters. Cut into 1/8-inch shreds. Drop into a large bowl and sprinkle with vinegar, sugar and salt. Toss with a wooden spoon.

In a large (5-quart) saucepan, melt the margarine and sauté the apple slices and chopped onion for 5 minutes or until the apple slices are lightly browned. Add cabbage, whole onion and bay leaf. Stir thoroughly and pour in the boiling water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook, partially covered, 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until cabbage is just tender, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Remove the whole onion and bay leaf. Stir in the wine and currant jelly and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY BROWNIES

1/4 pound unsalted margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans
Powdered sugar (optional)
Toasted pecan halves for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend the margarine and granulated sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add preserves and melted chocolate; mix well. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; blend into the margarine-egg mixture until smooth. Fold in chopped pecans.

Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Top with powdered sugar and garnish with toasted pecan halves.

Makes about 16 brownies.

CRANBERRY MERINGUE TART

Cranberry meringue tart

FILLING:

4 cups fresh cranberries
2/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 cups light brown sugar

MERINGUE:

3 egg whites
Pinch salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 (11-inch) prebaked Sweet Pastry Tart Shell (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350 F.

To make filling: In a large, heavy skillet, combine cranberries, orange juice, orange peel and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until brown sugar dissolves, and simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cranberries will pop and become very soft. Blend in remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and continue cooking 5 minutes longer. Cool. Spoon into prebaked Sweet Pastry Tart Shell.

To make meringue: In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar, a little at a time, beating well until stiff peaks form.

Fit a pastry tube with a decorative tip; fill the bag with the meringue.

Cover the cranberry filling completely with meringue rosettes, including the edge of the crust.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or place under the broiler, watching carefully, until meringue is lightly toasted.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

SWEET PASTRY TART SHELL

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsalted margarine, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons water or milk

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut in the margarine until the mixture is crumbly. Blend in the water or milk just until the dough begins to come together. Do not over-mix.

Knead the dough into a ball, wrap in waxed paper, and chill for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

Roll pastry out, between 2 large sheets of floured waxed paper, to a round large enough to cover and overlap an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. For easier handling, fold pastry in half before transferring it to the pan. (The waxed paper prevents the pastry from sticking together.)

Lift the pastry from the bottom sheet of waxed paper and place on half of the tart pan. Unfold the pastry and remove the other sheet of waxed paper that covers it. (At this point, the pastry can be covered with plastic wrap and foil and stored in the refrigerator, or freezer for several days.)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Bring the pastry to room temperature. Spread a light coating of margarine on a sheet of waxed paper and place it, coated side down, inside of the pastry, overlapping around the outside. Cover with another sheet of waxed paper, with the cut ends in the opposite direction. Fill the center of the waxed-paper-lined tart shell with uncooked rice or pie weights. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges of the pastry begin to brown. Carefully remove the waxed paper with the rice or pie weights and continue baking until the bottom of the pastry is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely before filling.

Apple Tart Classique. Photo by Josiah Citron

Just before Rosh Hashanah, I start thinking of recipes featuring apples and honey, and what better way to combine them but in an assortment of desserts?

Apples come in so many colors, shapes and sizes, and their flavor can range from crisp and tart to soft and sweet. You can use most apples for baking, but the different varieties produce different results. And when it comes to honey, you will find the best selection of honey at the local farmers markets. Even hard-to-find varieties such as chestnut or buckwheat honey, which are dark in color and have a pungent malt flavor, are available.

Over the years, I have prepared many different apple-honey desserts, but this year I have asked chefs, family and friends to share their favorites.

Amy Tidus Zeidler, my daughter-in-law, shared her grandmother’s recipe for their family’s Apple Cake.

“It’s very simple and easy to make,” she said. “Grandma was a great baker and often didn’t use a recipe, but this is what my mom and I have come up with to replicate it.”

Growing up in Los Angeles, she said it was special when her grandparents, who lived on the East Coast, would come to visit several times a year.

“Some of my fondest memories of my grandmother were when she baked for us. My brothers and I loved her cookies and cakes, but the apple cake was our favorite,” she added.

Apple Rosemary Tart is a new find from chef Bruce Marder’s new bakery, Red Rooster, in Santa Monica. A delicious pie crust is filled with sliced apples and rosemary, then topped with crisscrossing strips of pie dough resembling latticework, creating a dramatic effect. As intimidating as it might look, making a lattice pie crust top is actually quite easy to do.

Josiah Citrin, chef/owner of Melisse restaurant in Santa Monica, shares a recipe for Apple Tart “Classique,” from his new cookbook, “Pursuit of Excellence.”” The recipe makes four individual tarts and can be doubled. I have also included his recipe for Crème Fraîche Ice Cream, or it can be garnished with whipped cream.

Our family standby, baked apple, is a perfect Rosh Hashanah dessert and is simple to make. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream on the side, or, for an Italian touch, top it with sabayon sauce accented with honey.

GRANDMA MARTHA’S APPLE CAKE

Grandma Martha’s Apple Cake. Photo by Dan Kacvinski

Batter:
1/2 pound unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thinly
4 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Brush an 8-by-8-inch pan with butter and flour and set aside.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and nuts; set aside.

For batter, in the large bowl of an electric mixer, blend the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Combine flour and baking powder and add to batter alternately with the milk; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Arrange sliced apples over the top, sprinkle with prepared topping and drizzle with honey.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

APPLE ROSEMARY TART

Apple Rosemary Tart. Photo by Judy Zeidler

Pie crust:
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
8 ounces unsalted butter
1/2 cup ice water

Filling:
2 ounces unsalted butter
10 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, diced in 1-inch squares
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Granulated sugar to sprinkle on crust

Preheat oven to 325 F.

For pie crust, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar; pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size pieces of butter. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. Remove dough from machine and divide in half. Knead each half into a flat disc.

Roll out 1 disc to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Lightly press it into the pie dish, leaving enough dough to hang over the edge. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out the other disc of dough, cut into 1/2-inch strips, and form strips into a lattice top. Arrange on wax paper, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Place a sheet of wax paper on top of crust in prepared pie dish and fill with pie weights, rice or beans. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove weights and wax paper; bake 10 minutes longer or until golden brown. Let cool.

For filling, melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add apples, lemon juice, honey, sugar, rosemary, cinnamon and salt; sauté for 20 minutes until soft. Mix cornstarch with water, stirring until all lumps disappear, and add to apple mixture; simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Spoon the apple filling into partially baked piecrust. Brush edge of crust with egg yolk/water mixture. Invert unbaked lattice top onto baked crust. Press edges together and trim to fit pie dish. Brush lattice top with egg yolk/water mixture and sprinkle with sugar.

Place tart on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

APPLE TART CLASSIQUE

Crème Fraîche Ice Cream:
4 cups whole milk
11 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
1 2/3 cups crème fraîche

Apple Tart:
1 sheet puff pastry (12 by 12 inches)
4 large pink lady apples, peeled
1/2 cup clarified butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Caramel Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 pound unsalted butter, cut into medium dice
2 teaspoons fleur de sel

For ice cream, bring the milk to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk together the yolks, sugar and cinnamon. Slowly whisk the boiled milk into the yolk mixture. Strain the mixture through a chinois and into a stainless steel bowl; set that bowl over a bowl of ice. Stir to chill. Whisk in the crème fraîche. Churn the mix in an ice cream maker and reserve in the freezer.

For apple tart, lay the puff pastry on a flat surface. Cut out four circles using a 4 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place the pastry circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them at least 1 inch apart. Put the tray into the freezer until the pastry is hard.

Using an apple corer, remove the cores from the apples. Cut the apples in half down the core. Slice the apples on a mandolin slicer into 1/8-inch-thick half-rings.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Arrange the apple slices by fanning them out on the frozen puff pastry. Brush each apple tart with some of the clarified butter, and dust with some of the powdered sugar. Bake the tarts for 15 minutes. Brush the tarts again with clarified butter, dust with powdered sugar and bake for another 15 minutes. Repeat this process two more times for a total of four coatings and dustings and 60 minutes of baking time.

For caramel sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, honey and water. Put the pan over high heat and let the sugar boil until it turns brown (about 12 minutes). Once the sugar has reached a caramel stage, remove the pan from the heat and, in a gentle stream, carefully whisk in the cream. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Add the fleur de sel, mix well and strain through a chinois. Keep warm. (If making a few days in advance, refrigerate, then reheat in the microwave when ready to serve.)

To serve, heat the apple tarts in a preheated 350 F oven for 7 minutes. Heat the caramel sauce in a small saucepan. Place a tart on the center of each plate and spoon the caramel sauce around the edge of the tart. Place a quenelle of the Crème Fraîche Ice Cream on top of the tarts and dust with powdered sugar.

Makes 4 servings.

OLD-FASHIONED HONEY BAKED APPLES

Old-Fashioned Honey Baked Apple. Photo by Dan Kacvinski

Preheat oven to 325 F.

In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar; set aside.

Core the apples, making sure not to puncture the bottom of the apples so the juices will remain. Remove skin from 1/2 inch around top of each apple at the opening. Fill each cavity with an equal amount of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Top each apple with a drizzle of honey and a teaspoon of butter.

Place apples in casserole dish and pour apple juice and any remaining honey around them. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh mint, drizzle with additional honey, and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Judy Zeidler is the author of “Italy Cooks,” based on 35 years of travel to Italy, “The Gourmet Jewish Cook” (Morrow, 1988) and “The International Deli Cookbook” (Chronicle, 1994). She teaches cooking classes through American Jewish University’s Whizin Center for Continuing Education. Her Web site is judyzeidler.com.

A version of this article appeared in print.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/food/article/how_sweet_it_is_20110921/

Corn blinis with smoked salmon and salmon caviar. Photos by Dan Kacvinski

In many Jewish homes, a favorite way to break the Yom Kippur fast is with a buffet table filled with easy-to-serve appetizers that guests can nibble when they return after a long day of prayer and fasting. Most of the food can be prepared in advance and put on the table quickly. No one wants to spend time in the kitchen while suffering from acute hunger pangs. The transition from fast to feast should be a gradual one. Begin with tea flavored with lemon and honey, or a glass of wine served with challah (egg bread) and honey cake.

Last year, we served mini Russian blini (blintzes) with smoked salmon and salmon caviar topped with sour cream. The recipe for the blini is not difficult and can be prepared in advance. I use a pan with seven shallow wells that is made just for this, but a nonstick frying pan will do as well. Cured or smoked salmon and salmon caviar helps replenish some of the salt lost after fasting for 24 hours.

I still remember what I was told by my parents: “After the Yom Kippur fast, our bodies need salt.” So our break-the-fast dinners always included smoked salmon and pickled herring. I’m not sure whether modern science agrees, but to be safe I’ve included Grandma Gene’s special recipe for Chopped Herring. It contains onion, apple, chopped hard-cooked egg and lots of love.

I can’t resist adding a few new ideas to the break-the-fast menu. This year I will serve a Vegetable Frittata that was inspired by a dish that is served at Cora’s, a small coffee shop in Santa Monica. The frittata is made in advance and heated when ordered. Filled with red peppers, onions and zucchini, it adds color to the buffet table. Prepare the frittata ahead of time, refrigerate, and serve at room temperature or heat in the oven just before serving.

Traditional Honey Cake is a holiday staple, symbolizing a sweet new year, but I continue to develop new recipes to make it better. This is one of the most delicious I have ever tasted, and even if you are not a big fan of honey cake, I think you will enjoy this one.

The children always enjoy crisp cookies at the end of the meal, and these crunchy Sesame-Honey Thins are perfect. I suggest orange blossom honey or any light honey for the recipe, as a strong flavor tends to overpower these delicate, paper-thin cookies. Make the dough mixture in advance, and store them in the refrigerator until baking.

CORN BLINIS WITH SMOKED SALMON OR SALMON CAVIAR

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (boiled) or frozen corn, defrosted
3 eggs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 pound smoked salmon or salmon caviar
1/4 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Place the corn in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the eggs, flour, salt and pepper, and process until smooth.

Brush a large nonstick skillet with olive oil (or use a heavy cast-iron skillet with seven pancake wells), and heat over medium heat until hot. Working in batches, drop the batter in by tablespoon and cook until golden brown, about 20 seconds a side.

Top each pancake with smoked salmon or salmon caviar and sour cream. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.

Makes about 24 servings.

GRANDMA’S CHOPPED HERRING

For almost every holiday gathering, Grandma Gene would arrive at the front door bearing a large glass bowl filled with chopped herring, along with her corn rye bread. She always finished garnishing the herring when she arrived, and then would serve it with pride. It took many years to convince her to part with the recipe. Finally, I sat there one day when she made it, measuring and taking notes as she prepared the dish.

1 pound schmaltz herring fillets or 1 jar (1 pound) pickled herring fillets in wine sauce
2 slices challah or egg bread
1 medium onion, cut into quarters
1 green apple, peeled, cored and sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs
4 teaspoons vinegar
2 or 3 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil

Soak the herring in cold water overnight. Drain well. Bone and skin the herring and cut it into pieces. Soak the challah in cold water for a few minutes and squeeze out the water.

Place the herring, challah, onion and apple in a food grinder and grind. Chop the hard-boiled egg whites and combine with 3 teaspoons of the vinegar. Mix the whites into the herring mixture. Spread the chopped herring on a platter. Mash the egg yolks with the remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar and spread over the top of the chopped herring. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Just before serving, drizzle the oil over the top. Serve with thinly sliced corn rye bread.

Makes about 8 to 10 servings.

VEGETABLE FRITTATA

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium zucchini, cut into small cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 large eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet, brushing sides of skillet, over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and zucchini; sauté until soft. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, blending well. Pour egg mixture over hot vegetables in the skillet; stir gently to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, without stirring, until eggs are set on bottom, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle half of the cheese over frittata. Place under broiler and broil until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cut frittata into wedges, and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

NEW CLASSIC HONEY CAKE

Olive oil for loaf pans
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
1 3/4 cups honey
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup currants
3 tablespoons brandy
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon grated orange zest

Brush two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with olive oil.

In a saucepan, combine the honey and coffee; bring to a boil and cool. Soak the currants in the brandy.

Preheat the oven to 300 F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend the ¼ cup olive oil, brown sugar and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the honey/coffee mixture to the egg mixture, stirring after each addition. Fold in the currants, almonds and orange zest.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake for 1 hour; the top will be sticky, but a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Makes 2 loaves, 8 to 10 servings each.

SESAME-HONEY THINS

3/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup orange-flavored honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, honey and vanilla until light and fluffy. Blend in the egg and sesame seeds. Add the flour and salt; beat until smooth. (You may cover the dough with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Spoon small marble-size mounds of dough 2 inches apart onto a lightly oiled, foil-lined or silicone baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, until the cookies begin to brown around the edges. Cool on the baking sheet. When the cookies harden, carefully peel them off.

Store in an airtight container with foil between the layers.

Makes about 8 dozen.