Challah Bread
Challah bread is a special Jewish braided bread eaten on
Sabbath and Jewish holidays.
3 c. white flour Preheat oven 350 F
1/8 c. oil
1/8 c. honey
1pkg. yeast
¾ c. warm water
2 eggs, beaten
¼ tsp. salt
Recipes
Preheat oven to 350. Place yeast in water to bubble. Pour into a bowl and mix in oil and honey. Mix in dry ingredients. Knead dough on a floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes or in a food processor for 30 seconds. Add more flour if dough remains sticky. Place dough in well-oiled bowl, turning to coat with oil. Let rise until double (around 3hours). Punch down.
Now cut the dough in half to create two loaves of bread. Remove one-third from each half section. Cut this small portion into three equal parts, roll into 8” ropes, and braid them together. You will have two small braids.
Now shape the two remaining portions of dough. Divide each portion into three parts. Roll or shape these into 14” ropes and braid. Place the two large braids on an oiled cookie sheet. Place the small braids on top of the large braids. Brush dough with oil. Cover with a towel and let rise until double, about an hour. Brush dough with a beaten egg for a shiny finish, and bake the loaves at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 325 degrees for 15 more minutes.
You can set aside a portion of dough for God (Numbers 15:21). We do this by removing a small olive-sized portion from the dough, and burning it on foil under the broiler until it burns up.
MATZO BALL SOUP
Matzah balls are traditionally served in chicken soup.
Makes 8 to 12 matzo balls
Matzo Balls Soup
1/2 cup matzo meal 2 to 3 quarts chicken stock
2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 onion sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chicken stock
Mix all matzo ball ingredients in a bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Bring 1 1/2 quarts of well-salted water to a brisk boil in a medium sized pot.
Reduce the flame. Run your hands under water so they are thoroughly wet. Form matzo balls by dropping spoonfuls of matzo ball batter approximately 1-inch in diameter into the palm of your wet hands and rolling them loosely into balls. Drop them into the simmering salt water one at a time. Cover the pot and cook them for 30 to 40 minutes.
About ten minutes before the matzo balls are ready, bring prepared chicken stock to a simmer with the sliced carrot and onion in it. Ladle some soup and a couple matzo balls into each bowl. Serve hot immediately.
Matzo Caramel Buttercrunch
PASSOVER MIRACLE: TURNING MATZO INTO CANDY
The bread of affliction never tasted so good, thanks to Marcy Goldman’s recipe for caramel-covered buttercrunch
4-6 unsalted matzo boards or sheets
1 cup unsalted butter or unsalted Passover margarine
1 cup light brown sugar, packed firmly
3/4 cup chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
add chopped nuts to yout taste Preheat oven to 350.
Preheat oven to 350. Line doubled up, rimmed cookie sheets completely with foil. Cover bottom of pan with baking parchment, on top of foil. This is very important as mixture becomes sticky during baking. Line bottom of pan evenly with matzo boards, cutting extra pieces of matzo, as required, to fit any spaces on the cookie sheet as evenly as possible.
Combine margarine or butter and brown sugar in a 3 quart, heavy-bottomed, saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and spoon or pour over matzo.
Bake 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure mixture is not burning. If it seems to be browning too quickly, remove from oven, lower heat to 325, and replace.
Remove from oven and sprinkle matzo boards immediately with chopped chocolate or chips. Let stand 5 minutes then spread melted chocolate over matzo. While still warm cut into squares or odd shapes. Chill in refrigerator until set. This makes a good gift. You can also serve it in confectioners’ paper cups as a candy.
A Marcy Goldman, BetterBaking.Com Original Recipe
www.BetterBaking.Com
Matzah Pizza
PASSOVER LEFTOVERS
3 cups crushed matzah
3 cups hot water
4 large eggs, beaten
½ tsp. salt
16oz. pizza sause
8 oz. shredded mozzarella
2 oz. grated Parmesan
ADD TOPPINGS SUCH AS OLIVES, ONIONS AND PEPPERS
Mix matzah with hot water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and mix with eggs and salt. Press into greased pizza pan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove and spread with sauce, cheese, and toppings. Return to oven fro 15 minutes.
Jacob’s Lentil Stew
“First sell me your birthright stew "
Ingredients
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1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro (coriander), divided
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3 carrots
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3 celery stalks, including leaves
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2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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1 large onion, diced
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1 clove garlic, crushed
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2 cups dry red lentils
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1/4 cup pearl barley (omit for GF)
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2 qts. vegetable or chicken stock
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1 1/2 tsp cumin
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1 tsp hyssop or parsley
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1/2 tsp sumac (optional)
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1 bay leaf
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Salt and pepper to taste
Servings: 6
Kosher Key: Pareve or Meat depending on broth used
Chop the cilantro. Cut the carrots into chunks. Cut celery into chunks w/ leaves. Reserve.
Medium sized soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add diced onion, garlic and saute till translucent. Then add carrot and celery chunks.
Continue to saute till onion turns golden and ingredients begin to caramelize.
Add red lentils and barley to the pot, stir. Cover mixture with 2 qts. of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.
Add 1/4 cup of the fresh cilantro to the pot along with the cumin, hyssop or parsley, sumac (optional) and bay leaf; stir.
Cover the pot and let the stew simmer slowly for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until barley is tender and the stew is thickened.
GF Modification: Omit the barley for a more soup-like texture, or substitute 1/4 cup brown rice for the barley. Rice is not a Biblical-era grain, but it makes a delicious substitute for those struggling with Celiac or gluten intolerance.
SERVE HOT and with a your siblings birthright papers ready to sign.