Archives for October 2011

Baked Apple with Hazelnuts, Honey and Yogurt

October 31, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

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Baked Apple with Hazelnuts, Honey and Yogurt (Dairy)

Before the advent of industrial baking products, many of the treats that our grandmothers served during the week included fruit. Compotes and baked fruit are a delicious way to indulge our sweet tooth without overdoing the sugar and the calories, and actually adding nutrients to our diet. Baked fruit, in particular, is easy to make and very comforting in the frosty fall and winter days.

Baked Apple with Hazelnuts, Honey and Yogurt (Dairy)

Ingredients

4 apples, all more or less the same size
1 heaped tablespoon brown sugar
10 ounces (about 1 and 1/4 cup) plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts
2 tablespoons honey
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions

Cut off the tops from the apples and set them aside, sprinkling the inside with lemon juice.

Core the apples from the top down, using an apple corer or melon baller, taking care not to pierce the bottom (leave about 1/2? pulp on the bottom and sides).

Place the apples in a baking pan just large enough to hold them.

Dice the pulp you extracted from the apples (discarding the hard cores and seeds), and place it in a bowl with little lemon juice, the hazelnuts, the honey and the yogurt, combining well.

Sprinkle the inside of the cored apples with brown sugar, and stuff them with the yogurt/apple/hazelnut mix.

Cover them with the tops that you had set aside, and bake at 375 F for 30 minutes (more if you like very soft apples).

Serve warm.

For a more fragrant recipe, you can stick a couple of cloves into the peel of each apple before baking.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/31/baked-apple-with-hazelnuts-honey-and-yogurt-dairy/

Filed Under: Dairy, Desserts, Gluten Free, Light/Diet, Special Diet Tagged With: cucina ebraica, cuisine, dairy, dessert, easy, gluten free, healthy, Italian recipe, kosher Italian, light

Dolce di Pane e Mele (Bread and Apple Cake)

October 24, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Dolce di Pane e Mele (Bread and Apple Cake) (Dairy)

Today, October 24, is Food Day! Americans from all walks of life push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. One of the huge problems we are dealing with is that Americans waste more than 40 percent of the food we produce for consumption, while the number of people without enough to eat continues to rise. A very important Jewish concept, especially relevant today, is Bal Tashchit (do not destroy or waste). Originally, Bal Tashchit refers to the biblical prohibition against the destruction of fruit trees during wartime (Deuteronomy 12:19), but the rabbis of the Talmud extended the concept to the prohibition of destroying and wasting anything needlessly.

Really! Nowadays we should apply this idea to all kinds of waste (do we really need to drive, when we can walk or take the bus?). And of course, let’s start with food. Don’t leave your bread in plastic bags: chances are, it will be covered in green mold before you are done with it. If you keep it in a paper bag or a bread box, on the other hand, it will just dry out and you’ll still be able to use it, soaked in broth, to make delicious meatballs (with leftover cooked chicken), or for this delicious cake!

Dolce di Pane e Mele (Bread and Apple Cake) (Dairy)

Ingredients

1/2 cup raisins, plumped in warm brandy (or warm water)
2 eggs
1 (scant) cup sugar
1 untreated lemon
a pinch of salt
1 cup milk
3 large or 4 small apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin, drizzled with lemon juice to prevent oxidation
about 1/3 pound day-old sliced bread (crust removed)
butter to grease the pan
Another version of the Bread Cake
Ingredients:
1/3 pound day-old sliced bread (crust removed)
milk or rice milk for soaking
2 pounds apples or pears
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 or 3 tablespoons rhum
1 package baking powder (optional)

Directions

Serves 4

In a food processor (or with your hand mixer) process the eggs with the sugar till frothy, then slowly add the milk.

Add the lemon zest and a pinch of salt. .

Grease a spring-form pan and cover the bottom with sliced bread, then cover with some of the egg/sugar mix, followed by a layer of apple slices and raisins,

Continue layering all he ingredients, topping with apples and raisins; brush the top with little melted butter and bake for 30 to 40 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 350 F.

Other version of bread cake:

Break or cut the bread into small pieces and soak it in milk or soy milk until very soft.

Drain it and process it with your mixer till creamy.

Add the egg yolks, plumped raisins, rhum, sugar, and the apples (peeled, cored, and diced).

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and carefully incorporate them with a spatula (alternatively, you can avoid separating the eggs in the first place and add a package of baking powder to the mix when you add the sugar).

Pour into a greased spring-form pan and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/24/dolce-di-pane-e-mele-bread-and-apple-cake-dairy/

Filed Under: Comfort food, Dairy, Desserts, Jewish Italian Cuisine, Special Diet, Sustainable Tagged With: cake, cucina ebraica, cuisine, dairy, dessert, easy, Italian recipe, kosher Italian, scialut

Tilapia Roll-Ups

October 23, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Often we forget to eat healthy foods just because we are so busy. On top of that, fish can be quite intimidating to people who have never learned how to cook it. This recipe, however, is easy to prepare, looks very pretty, and it tastes great. Tilapia and sole are light, flaky, white-fleshed fish – a perfect low-calorie source of lean protein for those of you who are watching their waistlines or at risk of cardiovascular disease. The extra burst of flavor comes from anchovies, herrings’ “little cousins”: just like their larger relatives they are chock-full of nutrients (for example, they are a rich source of protein, niacin, calcium, selenium, and an extremely high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids), and one of the most beloved ingredients in Italian cuisine.

Tilapia Roll-Ups

serves 4

Ingredients

6 to 8 small tilapia or sole fillets, depending on the size
4 or 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices of bread, crust removed, diced
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
1 tablespoon capers
4 anchovies, chopped (salt- or oil-packed, drained and rinsed well, and pat dry)
grated zest of one organic lemon
½ cup dry white wine
flour
salt
ground pepper to taste

Directions

Soak the diced bread in 4 tablespoons of cold vegetable broth or water for a few minutes; drain well squeezing the liquid out. Combine in a food processor with one tablespoon oil, parsley, capers, anchovies, lemon zest (you can also mix everything together with a fork).

Season the fillets with salt and pepper, dredge in flour shaking off the excess. Put some of the filling on the center of each fillet, roll the fillet around the filling and secure with a toothpick or tie with string (for an ever prettier effect, blanch some chives in boiling water and use them as strings). Repeat with all the fillets.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the fillet, seam down. Cook for about 5 minutes, turn carefully with a spatula; cook the other side for a couple more minutes, and add the wine. Turn up the heat to allow the wine to evaporate, and voila'!

*** if you are really watching your waistline and need to decrease the quantity of the oil, you can just bake these in a parchment-lined pan, brushing the top with a mix of 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon lemon. You can also steam them and drizzle them with little oil and lemon at the end. In both cases, skip the flour.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/23/tilapia-roll-ups/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Fish, Light and Healthy, Light/Diet, Main Dish, Non-Dairy, Quick/Easy, Special Diet, Sustainable Tagged With: cucina ebraica, fish, healthy, Jewish Italian Cuisine1, kosher Italian, light, Non-Dairy, quick/easy, talapia

Fall salad with Grapes and Apples

October 11, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Fall salad with Grapes and Apples

Fall salad with Grapes and Apples GF

Ingredients

4 cups green lettuce (oak leaf lettuce, mache’ or any other type of fresh green lettuce)
1 small cluster red grapes
1 green apple
10 ounces firm cheese (if using Italian cheese, a montasio or asiago; if using a local cheese, a medium cheddar would work).
1 small container plain yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgine olive oil
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon green peppercorns

Directions

Serves 4

Clean and wash the salad and grapes; wash and core the apple, and cut it into very thin slices.

Cut the cheese into small cubes. Peel the garlic, mash it and combine it with the yogurt; add the oil, salt and green peppercorns.

Arrange the lettuce in a large bowl or platter with the cheese, apple and grapes on top, and serve with the yogurt sauce.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/11/fall-salad-with-grapes-and-apples-gf/

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Light/Diet, salad, Side Dish, Special Diet Tagged With: appetizer, cucina ebraica, Fall, gluten free, healthy, Italian recipe, kosher Italian, light, salad, vegetables

Turkey or Veal Roast with a Surprise

October 10, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Turkey or Veal Roast with a Surprise (Meat)

On the holidays, I usually serve dairy at lunch and meat for dinner. This colorful “roast”, which is actually cooked on the stove, usually “wows” guests. It’s much easier than it looks!
If you prefer, instead of the boiled eggs you can use a thin frittata made with eggs and chopped parsley or spinach. It’s filling, so I would serve it after a vegetable soup or a light broth-based pasta soup.

Tukey or Veal Roast with a Surprise (Meat)

Ingredients

3 slices Hungarian salami and 3 slices good pastrami
1 boneless turkey breast in one piece, about 2 pounds, butterflied (or veal)
1 tablespoon (or more) freshly chopped parsley
2 boiled eggs
1 1/2 tablespoon plain bread crumbs
1/2 a medium onion, chopped finely
one small carrot, chopped finely
one celery stick, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic (one whole, one minced)
1 ripe tomato, completely seeded, salted and drained.
1 1/2 tablespoon plain bread crumbs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine (do not use “cooking wine”)
salt and black pepper

Directions

Boil the eggs, peel them and eliminate a small white slice from the ends, so that ,when sliced, all the slices will contain some yolk.

With the flat side of a mallet, pound the turkey breast or veal to a ½-inch thickness, and season with pepper.

Grind the cold cuts very thin (best to do this with a food processor), combine them with a tablespoon of bread crumbs, the parsley, the garlic, little pepper, and a touch of nutmeg if liked. Spread the filling over the center of the meat leaving the ends untouched.

With a spoon, thin the filling out in the center to accomodate the eggs.

Add two thin slices of tomato (only the pulp, completely seeded and well drained!) – in absence of a tomato you can use a couple of spinach leaves, or peeled fillets of red roasted peppers.

Fold the edges of the meat over the filling, closing it on all sides, and tie well with kitchen string.

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil (you can use only 2 if using veal, which has more fat, but need more for turkey) in a large sauteuse pan, with a clove of garlic.

Add the meat and allow it to brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Add the wine and let it evaporate. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery ,one cup of hot water, salt and pepper, and cook covered on medium/low heat for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, then uncover and allow the sauce to thicken.

Transfer onto a platter, slice, and serve with the sauce.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/10/tukey-or-veal-roast-with-a-surprise-meat/

Filed Under: Holiday Food, Jewish Italian Cuisine, Main Dish, Meat, Shabbat, Sukkot, Thanksgiving Tagged With: cucina ebraica, cuisine, Jewish holiday, kosher Italian, main dish, Meat, roast, Sukkot, Thanksgiving, turkey

Etrog or Lemon Risotto

October 9, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Etrog or Lemon Risotto (Dairy)

The Etrog, one of the symbols of Sukkot, is a special fruit, which looks like a giant lemon and grows on very delicate trees, in warm climates. Some Hassidim actually prefer the Etrogs from Italy (from the region of Calabria), probably because of a tradition that says that Moses used one from there. After Sukkot, a lot of us like to use them to make jelly or other specialties. In the movie Ushpizin the protagonists use its juice to dress a salad, but here is another fun idea (and you can make this recipe any time using regular lemons):

Print
Etrog or Lemon Risotto (Dairy)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups boiling hot vegetable stock
2 shallots, or 1/2 a large onion, very finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups Italian Rice (Vialone nano, Arborio or Carnaroli type)
juice of 1/2 a lemon or lime or etrog
grated zest of 2 organic lemons or one etrog
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives
1/2 cup ricotta (ricotta is naturally low-fat, do not use low-fat or fat-free ricotta)
(you can substitute mascarpone for the ricotta for a creamier version)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Directions
In a pot, heat the stock until it boils, and keep it simmering.
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot (enameled cast iron or non-stick), add the onion, and cook over medium/low heat until soft.
Add the rice, and mix well, raising the heat to “toast’ the rice for a minute or two. Stir in the wine and allow it to evaporate.
Add a couple of ladlesful of the hot stock to the rice and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Cook the rice until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring often to prevent it from sticking to the bottom
Add more hot stock, one or two ladles at a time, until the rice is tender but firm, what we call “al dente“.
Don’t allow the rice to dry out, in Venice we want to present our risotto “all’onda” (wave-style – meaning creamy and moist, not too solid). If in doubt, add more hot stock.
Stir in the lemon juice and zest, mix, and the ricotta, salt and pepper to taste; turn the heat off and cover. Allow to rest for 1 or 2 minutes.
Decorate with the chives and serve immediately, accompanied by the grated parmigiano cheese.
3.1
https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/09/etrog-or-lemon-risotto-dairy/

Filed Under: Dairy, First course, Jewish Italian Cuisine, Pasta and Rice, Side Dish, Sukkot Tagged With: appetizer, cucina ebraica, cuisine, Etrog, Italian, Jewish holiday, kosher Italian, Risotto, Sukkot

Fish with Pine Nuts and Raisins

October 4, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Fish with Pine Nuts and Raisins (Parve)

This simple and easy fish dish is served in many Italian cities during the meal that follows the Yom Kippur fast. Raisins and pine nuts appear in many Jewish Italian dishes of Sephardic origins, and offer a lovely contrast to the vinegar. For this recipe, Roman Jews use red mullet, but I’ve tried it with other types of white fish and it still works. You could substitute a branzino, orata, striped bass, grouper, snapper, and so forth. Just don’t use a fish that’s too fatty like sea bass or soft like sole and tilapia. (And don’t even think of salmon )

Fish with Pine Nuts and Raisins (Parve)

Ingredients

1 large red mullet or other fish (or 2 smaller fish), cleaned and gutted, rinsed and pat dry
extra-virgin olive oil, 3 to 4 tablespoons
salt and white pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup of white or red vinegar
2/3 cup raisins, plumped in hot water and drained
1/3 cup pine nuts

Directions

Heat half the olive oil in an oven-proof skillet on the stove, add the fish and sauté’ for one minute or two on each side.

Combine all the other ingredients, including the remaining olive oil , and pour them over the fish. Cover and cook on low/medium heat for about 20 to 30 more minutes, or transfer into a 350 F oven and bake covered.

If you prefer, you can make this dish with fish fillets. In this case the cooking time will be more or less 10 minutes.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/04/fish-with-pine-nuts-and-raisins-parve/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Fish, Jewish Italian Cuisine, Light and Healthy, Main Dish, Shabbat, Yom Kippur Tagged With: cucina ebraica, cuisine, fish, Jewish holiday, kosher Italian, main dish, Non-Dairy, Yom Kippur

What is Sukkot?

October 2, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Sukkot

Sukkot is an eight-day harvest holiday that starts four days after the fast of Yom Kippur; it is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles.

In ancient Israel Jews would build huts (Sukkah = hut) near the end of their fields during the harvest season, so that they could spend more time in the fields and harvest more efficiently. But Sukkot is also a reminder of how our ancestors lived while wandering in the desert for 40 years (Leviticus 23:42-43), moving from one place to another and using tents or (sukkot) for temporary shelter.
Associated with these two meanings are the three Sukkot traditions:

1 – Building a sukkah.
2 – Eating inside the sukkah.
3 – Waving the lulav and etrog.

(in the picture, the holiday of Sukkot as seen by Italian artist Emanuele Luzzatti)
Between Yom Kippur and Sukkot , observant Jews construct a sukkah in their backyards or on their deck when possible (in absence of space, people will use their synagogue’s sukkah).

In ancient times most people would just “move” to their sukkahs for the whole holiday and sleep there: nowadays very few people do, but it’s customary to eat meals in it reciting a special blessing. Luckily we are exempt in case of rain! Since Sukkot celebrates the harvest, there is a custom of waving the lulav and etrog: (a kind of citron, similar to a big lemon/lime, and a bunch of myrtle,willow and palm twigs). The lulav and etrog are waved in all directions representing God’s dominion over the whole creation. All kids love decorating the sukkah with drawings, and mine are no exception!

After Sukkot

The seventh day of Sukkot is also known as Hoshana Rabbah. In the traditional synagogue service, Torah scrolls are taken out of the ark and worshippers make seven circuits while holding the Lulav (branches of four plants with symbolic meanings) and reciting Hoshanot (Psalm 118:25).

Right after Hoshana Rabba comes Shemini Atzeret, the day for prayers and celebrations for rain and harvest. One would think that a prayer for rain should be recited at the beginning of the New Year (Rosh HaShana) but it would be hypocritical to do so when everybody is really hoping for nice weather for the week of Sukkot…so it’s postponed to Shemini Atzeret. After Shemini Atzeret comes Simchat Torah (“Rejoicing with the Torah.”): on this holiday, all the Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and paraded around the synagogue while people dance and sing around them. Every Shabbat during the year, a different portion of the Torah is chanted in synagogue, and it takes a year to complete the whole thing. On Simchat Torah, the end of Deuteronomy is finally reached, and we start again from Bereshit (Genesis).
See how the Jewish Community of Rome celebrates Hoshana Rabbah in this video:

Picture: Solomon Alexander Hart
The Feast of the Rejoicing of the Law at the Synagogue in Leghorn, Italy, 1850

Filed Under: Sukkot Tagged With: history, Italian, Jewish holiday, kosher Italian, Sukkot

Archives for October 2011

Baked Apple with Hazelnuts, Honey and Yogurt

Dolce di Pane e Mele (Bread and Apple Cake)

Tilapia Roll-Ups

Fall salad with Grapes and Apples

Turkey or Veal Roast with a Surprise

Etrog or Lemon Risotto

Fish with Pine Nuts and Raisins

What is Sukkot?

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