Our Favorite Passover Reicpes

Charoset Recipes (From Hadassah Jewish Holiday Cookbook)

Charoset From Suriname:

  • 7 oz package unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 cups chopped walnuts
  • 1 ½ cups raisins
  • 1 ½ cups dried apples
  • 1 ½ cups prunes
  • 1 ½ cups dried apricots
  • 1 ½ cups dried pears
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup cherry jam
  • Sweet red wine
  1. Combine in saucepan all ingredients except cherry jam and wine. Add enough cold water to just cover fruit. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, and adding more water if necessary.
  2. Remove from heat; stir in cherry jam. Set aside to cool.
  3. Add just enough sweet red wine to be absorbed by the fruit. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Makes about 9 cups

 

North African Charoset

  • ½ cup pine nuts, chopped
  • 1 hard-cooked egg yolk, finely chopped
  • 1 apple, peeled and grated
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup ground almonds
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • Ground cinnamon to taste
  • Ground ginger to taste
  • Red wine-add to your desired consistency

Mix all ingredients until mixture comes together. Refrigerate.

Makes about 2 cups

 

Yemenite Charoset

  • 10 pitted Dates, chopped
  • 10 Figs, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • Red Wine
  • Matzo Meal

Combine fruit, sesame seeds and ginger. Add red wine and matza meal to bring it to the consistency you want.

Makes about 2 ½ cups

 

Israeli Charoset

  • 15 pitted Dates, chopped
  • 1 apple, peeled and chopped
  • 3 bananas, mashed
  • Juice and grated zest of 1 orange
  • 1 cup almonds, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Sugar or honey to taste
  • Matzo meal, if needed

Combine fruits, nuts, wine, cinnamon and sugar or honey. Add matzo meal to get the consistency you want.

Makes about 6 cups

Classic Passover Favorites

Classic Matzo Brei

  • 3 unsalted matzos
  • 8 cups boiling water
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  1. In a colander placed in sink, break matzo into approximately 1-inch pieces. SLOWLY pour the boiling water over the matzo, soaking it well. Let stand for 2-3 minutes to drain well and plump up.
  2. In a bowl, beat eggs together with salt. Add wet matzo and mix thoroughly.
  3. In a 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add the matzo-egg mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low.
  4. When bottom of mixture begins to set, break it up by dragging it around the pan, from outside edge to the center. Once the bottom is cooked, gently turn the mixture, using a spatula. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the matzo brei cooks evenly.

Serves 2. Serve with Freshly ground pepper, jam, preserves or sour cream

 

Apple Matzo Kugel

I love this recipe! Great as a side-dish or dessert. Perfect for Passover, but delicious for anytime of year.

  • 4 large apples, Granny Smith or any tart apple, cored and cut into medium dice
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 7 plain matzos
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cups sugar
  • ½ cup butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup dried apricots, medium, chopped
  • 5 tablespoons butter or margarine, cut into small pieces, for casserole topping
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Toss the apples with the brown sugar and orange juice and set aside in a medium bowl.
  3. Break the matzo into 2-3 inch pieces and soak in 1 cup of warm water until soft, but not mushy. Set aside.
  4. While the matzo soaks, in a large bowl, beat the eggs with a wire whisk until blended. Add the salt, sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, raisins and apricots.
  5. Squeeze the liquid from the softened matzoh and add the matzoh to the egg mixture with the apples. Stir the kugel well and pour into a lightly greased 2 ½ quart casserole dish or a 10X14 inch pan. Dot the top of the kugel with the 4 tablespoons of butter.
  6. Bake the kugel for 1 hour. Cover the top with foil if the top begins to become too brown early in the baking. Remove the kugel from the oven and cool to room temperature.

Cooks Tip: The kugel can be made 2 days ahead, cooled and refrigerated, covered. Bring to room temperature and reheat in a 350 degree oven.

Makes 12 servings

Chocolatey Passover Desserts

Chocolate Caramel Matzo Crunch

  • 4-6 unsalted matzos
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter or unsalted Passover margarine
  • ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup chopped chocolate chips or Semi-sweet chocolate
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with foil. Cover the bottom of the sheet with baking parchment on top of the foil.
  2. Line the bottom of the cookie sheet evenly with the matzos, cutting extra pieces to fit any spaces.
  3. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the butter (or margarine) and the brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil (2- 4 minutes). Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Pour over matzo, covering completely.
  4. Place baking sheet in the oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes (check often to be sure mixture is not burning). Remove from oven and sprinkle immediately with chopped chocolate or chips. Let stand for 5 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate evenly over the matzo. Break into squares while still warm. Chill, in the pan, in the freezer until set.

Decadent Pesach Brownies

BROWNIES

  • 1 ¾ cups granulated or brown sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or unsalted Passover margarine (melted and cooled)
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ tablespoon brewed coffee
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 scant cup matzo cake meal
  • ¼ cup finely chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

FUDGE FROSTING

  • 2/3 cup water or brewed coffee
  • 6-7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or Passover margarine (softened)
  1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan or 7x10-inch rectangular pan.
  2. BROWNIES: In a bowl, mix sugar into the melted butter, then add eggs, cocoa, salt, cake meal and toasted walnuts (optional).
  3. Spoon the batter into the greased pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Do not overbake (brownies should be set, but there should not be a crust around edges). Cool brownies in pan.
  4. FROSTING: Heat water (or coffee) in small saucepan. Bring water to boil, reduce heat and stir in chopped chocolate. Remove pan from heat and stir until chocolate is completely melted. Cool in refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes. Whisk in softened butter or margarine and spread frosting on top of cooled brownies. Cut into squares