Kosher and Traditional Jewish Cooking: Authentic Recipes From a Classic Culinary Heritage: 130 Delicious Dishes Shown in 220 Stunning Photographs (28 page)

Dark bread was the mainstay of most meals during the centuries of Jewish life in Poland, Russia and the Baltic states and might be spread with butter, chicken fat or sour cream, or simply rubbed with onion or garlic.

MAKES 2 LOAVES

65g/2
1
/
2
oz plain (semisweet) chocolate or unsweetened cocoa powder

7g packet easy-blend (rapid-rise) dried yeast

200g/7oz/1
3
/
4
cups rye flour

300g/11oz/2
3
/
4
cups strong white bread flour

5ml/1 tsp salt

2.5ml/
1
/
2
tsp sugar

15ml/1 tbsp instant coffee powder

15ml/1 tbsp caraway seeds (optional)

105ml/7 tbsp warm dark beer

15ml/1 tbsp vegetable oil

90ml/6 tbsp treacle (molasses)

cornmeal, for sprinkling

1
Melt the chocolate with 50ml/2fl oz/
1
/
4
cup water in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside. Combine the yeast, flours, salt, sugar, coffee and caraway seeds, if using. Make a well, then pour in the chocolate, 175ml/6fl oz/
3
/
4
cup water, the beer, oil and treacle. Mix to a dough, then knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat in oil. Cover and leave for 1
1
/
2
hours, or until doubled in size.

2
Oil a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Punch the dough down on a lightly floured surface. Knead for 3–4 minutes, then divide the dough and shape into two round loaves. Place on the baking sheet, cover and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

3
Preheat the oven to 185ºC/360ºF/Gas 4
1
/
2
. Bake for 40 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional information per loaf: Energy 1276kcal/5400kJ; Protein 27.3g; Carbohydrate 246.4g, of which sugars 42.4g; Fat 24.3g, of which saturates 8.6g; Cholesterol 5mg; Calcium 395mg; Fibre 9.1g; Sodium 187mg.

These ring-shaped rolls are one of the Eastern European Jews’ best contributions to the gastronomy of the world. The dough is first boiled to give it a chewy texture and then baked. The bagels can be topped with almost anything: schmears, flavoured cream cheese, lox or fresh, chopped vegetables are just a few examples.

MAKES 10 TO 12

7g packet easy-blend (rapid-rise) dried yeast

25ml/1
1
/
2
tbsp salt

500g/1
1
/
4
lb/4
1
/
2
cups strong white bread flour

250ml/8fl oz/1 cup lukewarm water

oil, for oiling

30ml/2 tbsp sugar

cornmeal, for sprinkling

1 egg yolk

1
Combine the yeast, salt and flour. Pour the lukewarm water into a separate bowl. Gradually add half the flour to the lukewarm water, beating until it forms a smooth, soft batter. Knead the remaining flour into the batter until the mixture forms a fairly firm, smooth dough.

2
Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10–20 minutes until shiny and smooth. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour.

3
Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat it completely in the oil. Cover and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.

4
Punch the dough down on a lightly floured surface. Knead for 3–4 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 10–12 balls. Poke your thumb through each one then, working with your fingers, open the hole to form a bagel measuring 6–7.5cm/2
1
/
2
–3in in diameter. Place on a floured board and leave to rise for 20 minutes, or until doubled in size.

5
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. Bring 3–4 litres/5–7 pints/2
1
/
2
–3
1
/
2
quarts water to the boil in a large pan and add the sugar. Lower the heat to a gentle boil. Lightly oil a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Beat the egg yolk with 15ml/1 tbsp water. Add the bagels, one at a time, to the boiling water, until you have a single layer of bagels, and cook for 8 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and place on the prepared baking sheet.

6
Brush each bagel with the egg mixture and bake for 25–30 minutes until well browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional information per roll: Energy 157kcal/667kJ; Protein 4.2g; Carbohydrate 35g, of which sugars 3.2g; Fat 1g, of which saturates 0.2g; Cholesterol 17mg; Calcium 62mg; Fibre 1.3g; Sodium 821mg.

Throughout the Mediterranean, pitta is the most commonly found bread. There are many different types, from very flat ones, to those with pockets, to a thicker cushiony one.

MAKES 12

500g/1
1
/
4
lb/4
1
/
2
cups strong white bread flour, or half white and half wholemeal (whole-wheat)

7g packet easy-blend (rapid-rise) dried yeast

15ml/1 tbsp salt

15ml/1 tbsp olive oil

250ml/8fl oz/1 cup water

1
Combine the flour, yeast and salt. Mix the oil and water, then stir in half of the flour mixture, stirring until the dough is stiff. Knead in the remaining flour.

2
Place the dough in a bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for at least 30 minutes. Knead for 10 minutes, or until smooth. Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

3
Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. Flatten each piece, then roll out into a round 20cm/8in and 5mm–1cm/
1
/
4
–
1
/
2
in thick. Cover.

4
Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat. When smoking hot, cook one piece of dough for 15–20 seconds. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. When bubbles start to form, turn over again. Using a dish towel, press where the bubbles have formed. Remove from the pan. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Nutritional information per pitta: Energy 150kcal/638kJ; Protein 3.9g; Carbohydrate 32.4g, of which sugars 0.6g; Fat 1.5g, of which saturates 0.2g; Cholesterol 0mg; Calcium 58mg; Fibre 1.3g; Sodium 493mg.

These sweet-smelling, tender rolls are based on those found in the Ukrainian bakeries of McAllister Street in San Francisco, which used to be like a tiny shtetl.

MAKES 12–14

15ml/1 tbsp dried active yeast

15ml/1 tbsp sugar

250ml/8fl oz/1 cup lukewarm water

30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

500g/1
1
/
4
lb/4
1
/
2
cups strong white bread flour

3–4 onions, very, very finely chopped

60ml/4 tbsp poppy seeds

salt

1
Mix together the yeast, sugar and water. Sprinkle with a little of the flour and leave for 10 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface. Beat in a pinch of salt, the oil and one of the eggs. Gradually add the remaining flour and knead for 5–10 minutes. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat.

2
Leave in a warm place for 1
1
/
2
hours, until doubled in size. Punch the dough down on a floured surface and knead for 3 minutes. Knead in half the onions.

3
Form into egg-sized balls, then press into rounds 1cm/
1
/
2
in thick. Beat the remaining egg with 30ml/2 tbsp water and a pinch of salt. Press an indentation on top of each and brush with the egg. Sprinkle over the remaining onions and poppy seeds and leave in a warm place, for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.