1,000 Jewish Recipes (249 page)
Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
5.
Meanwhile, cook penne in a large saucepan of boiling salted water over high heat, stirring occasionally, 9 or 10 minutes until tender but firm to the bite. Pour into a colander and drain.
6.
Transfer penne to a large shallow bowl and, if you like, toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Reserve about
1
â
2
cup sauce, and toss remaining sauce with penne. Serve topped with reserved sauce and garnished with basil sprigs.
I got this idea from an Israeli vegetarian I met at a food market. Our conversation, of course, led to our favorite subject: cooking. She adds orange juice to the popular Sephardic flavoring combination of garlic, hot peppers, and cilantro to make a quick sauce for pasta. It's a tasty combination, good for all sorts of pasta. Serve the pasta hot or at room temperature.
2 red or green jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs discarded (see Note)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1
â
3
cup orange juice
8 ounces angel hair pasta or capellini
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1
â
4
cup sliced green onions
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3
cup chopped fresh cilantro plus cilantro sprigs for garnish
Orange segments or slices
1.
Remove seeds and ribs from jalapeño peppers. Mince peppers and garlic in a small food processor or with a knife.
2.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet. Add garlic and jalapeño peppers. Sauté them over low heat, stirring, about 1 minute or until they soften slightly. Remove from heat and add orange juice. Transfer to a serving bowl large enough for pasta.
3.
Cook pasta uncovered in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat, separating strands occasionally with fork, about 4 minutes or until tender but firm to the bite. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well.
4.
Add pasta to bowl of orange juice mixture. Add remaining oil, salt, pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Mix well; Adjust seasoning; add more olive oil if desired. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and orange segments. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note:
Wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers.
Chicken livers and onions are such a popular pair in the Jewish kitchen that they are used in many ways. When I lived in Israel a friend gave me her recipe for chicken liver and onions baked in a noodle kugel. I find the combination tastes even better this way, and it's ready in minutes.
8 ounces
Broiled Chicken Livers
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, halved and cut into thin slices
1 large red bell pepper, seeds and ribs discarded, cut into 2-inch strips
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
12 ounces pasta fusilli, rotini, or spirals
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1.
Prepare livers. Then, cut each liver half in 2 to 4 pieces.
2.
Heat oil in a large, heavy, deep skillet or sauté pan. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and onion browns lightly. Remove from heat. Add broiled livers and sprinkle with cumin and pepper.
3.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water uncovered over high heat, stirring occasionally, 6 to 7 minutes or until tender but firm to the bite. Drain well.
4.
Reheat onion-liver mixture over low heat about 1 minute or until it is hot. Add pasta to skillet and heat over low heat, tossing with a fork, about 1 minute. Add parsley and toss. Adjust seasoning. Serve on heated plates.
NOODLE AND OTHER PASTA KUGELS
Asparagus, sweet onions, and carrots make this kugel delicious. For an elegant touch, you might like to garnish each plate with a few lightly cooked baby carrots and asparagus tips. Serve the kugel as an entree or as an accompaniment for fish or chicken.
3
â
4
pound asparagus
3
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4
pound slim carrots
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large sweet onions, sliced thin
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or
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4
teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 pound wide egg noodles
4 large eggs, beaten
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â
4
cup chopped fresh parsley
Paprika, to taste
1.
Peel asparagus if it is thick. Cut asparagus tips from stems. Cut stems into 3 pieces, discarding tough ends (about
1
â
2
-inch from end). Quarter carrots lengthwise and cut them into sticks about the same length as the asparagus pieces.
2.
Put carrots in a saucepan and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes. Add asparagus and bring to a boil. Cook uncovered over medium heat about 2 minutes or until carrots and asparagus are nearly tender. Remove vegetables to a colander with a slotted spoon, reserving their cooking liquid. Rinse vegetables with cold water and drain well.
3.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Add onions and sauté over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until very tender. Add carrots, asparagus, and thyme, toss with onions, and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
4.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water uncovered over high heat, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes or until nearly tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well. Transfer to a large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil and
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4
cup cooking liquid from the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
5.
Add vegetable mixture, eggs, and parsley to noodles and mix well. Oil a 3
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2
- to 4-quart baking dish or two 7- to 8-cup baking dishes and add noodle mixture. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon oil and with a little paprika.
6.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until set. Serve hot, from baking dish.
This dense, rich kugel is standard fare in Jerusalem synagogues for the kiddush snack after Shabbat morning services. The kugel has an intriguing peppery yet slightly sweet caramel flavor. It bakes all night in a very low oven, much like
cholent
and other Shabbat dishes, and turns deep brown throughout.
If you prefer to bake the kugel faster, you can bake it uncovered at 350°F for 1 hour. It will still taste good but its color will not be as deep. You can reheat any leftover kugel slices by wrapping them in foil and heating them in a toaster oven at 350°F.
12 ounces fine egg noodles
8 tablespoons vegetable oil
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â
3
cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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â
4
cup raisins (optional)
1.
Generously grease a round 2-quart baking dish. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water about 5 minutes or until nearly tender. Drain, return to pot, and toss briefly with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Keep on stove so noodles remain warm; do not cover.
2.
Meanwhile, pour remaining oil into a heavy saucepan, then add sugar. Heat over low heat, shaking pan gently from time to time; do not stir. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until sugar turns deep brown. Gradually add mixture to noodles, mixing well with tongs.
3.
Beat eggs with salt and pepper in a bowl. Add to noodles and mix well. Add raisins, if using, and mix well. Transfer to greased baking dish. Cover with foil and with a lid. Refrigerate kugel if not ready to bake it.
4.
Put kugel in oven set at 200°F (or lowest numerical setting). Bake kugel about 10 hours or overnight. Run a knife around edge and turn out onto a round platter. Serve hot, in slices.
Note:
If you want to present the kugel on a platter, it's best to use a round baking dish; the kugel will stick less to the sides. If you want to serve the kugel from the casserole dish, you can use any shape dish.
Unlike most kugels, this one features a cream sauce instead of eggs. It's a meal in a casserole, with a colorful medley of vegetables and two or three kinds of cheese.
1
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4
cup butter or vegetable oil
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â
2
cup minced onion
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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4
cup all-purpose flour