Turn dough out onto floured board and knead again for one minute until it forms a smooth ball.
Spray lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for one hour. Divide into equal portions. This should make enough for eight bagels.
Work each portion into a smooth ball, folding in on itself until you have a smooth surface. Push your finger through the ball to make a hole, and then stretch the dough to the desired bagel size. Place on waxed paper or parchment, spray again, cover with plastic wrap, and let proof for up to 48 hours in refrigerator.
At cooking time, preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a separate kettle bring poaching liquid to a steady rolling boil.
Use a slotted spoon to lower two bagels at a time into the boiling water. Boil for one minute, turn over, and boil for one more minute. Lift from water and place on rack to dry; then move to baking sheet.
If using toppings, add while bagel is wet and press lightly into dough. Or wait until dough dries, brush with egg wash, and add toppings, again pressing lightly (non-vegetarian option.)
Turn oven down to 450 degrees. Bake for ten minutes, rotate pan, and bake another eight to ten minutes to desired darkness.
Let cool for twenty minutes before serving.
LIVER SCHMEER (Chopped Chicken Liver)
New Yorkers top their bagels with all sorts of spreads, from butter and cream cheese to lox and chopped onion. But nothing spells “Home” like a good schmeer of chopped chicken livers. The recipes do not show much variance—a combination of cooked livers, chopped onions and hard-boiled eggs, some sort of moistener—preferably schmaltz1 —with a sprinkle of herbs to add interest, and salt and pepper. Texture, however, sets one variety apart from another. Personal preferences range from a coarse chop in which every ingredient is clearly recognizable to a silky pate that leaves the diner guessing.
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or 4 tablespoons melted butter or schmaltz
1 to 2 cups finely chopped Vidalia onion
1 pound chicken livers, washed and trimmed
2 bay leaves or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ cup Marsala wine, or less according to preference
2 peeled hard-boiled eggs
Salt and pepper to taste.
Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion in oil with salt, pepper, and herbs until onion becomes soft and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken livers to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until livers are browned but still slightly pink in center, 5 minutes.
Deglaze skillet with Marsala wine, scraping up brown bits, and reduce liquid by half.
Remove bay leaves and transfer liver-onion mixture to food processor; puree until smooth. With motor running, slowly add remaining olive oil.
Adjust seasoning to taste, transfer to serving bowl, cover, and chill at least four hours before serving. Serve as bagel schmeer.
POTATO LATKES (Fried Potato Pancakes)
Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the oil, when the Hebrews were saved because their one-day supply of oil lasted for eight full days. The lighting of the menorah, of course, is a re-creation of that miracle, but Hanukkah foods echo it as well by being rich in oil. (This is not a holiday to watch your cholesterol!) Frying these little potato cakes in oil and schmaltz (chicken fat) gives them a crunchy goodness that no oven-crisp recipe can hope to match.
Ingredients:
2-3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup matzo meal,1 flour, or bread crumbs
1 large onion
2 large eggs, well-beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Grate potatoes, using large holes. Place in bowl and cover with cold water. Grate onion using small holes. Drain potatoes in colander; then add shredded onion.
Wrap tightly in cheesecloth and squeeze dry.
Place in dry bowl and toss to distribute onion.
Stir in other ingredients, mixing well.
Heat ¼ inch of oil in cast iron skillet. Add small amount of schmaltz (chicken fat) for a more authentic taste. Hold temperature to 365 degrees.
Shape ¼ cup or less of potato mixture and pat into tight disk.
Fry 2 or 3 minutes per side and drain on wire rack over paper towels.
Serve with applesauce or sour cream.
SUFGANIYOT (Jelly Doughnuts)
Hanukkah meals also feature sweet dishes as a celebration, and when a recipe can combine deep-frying and sugary sweetness, it is sure to be a Hanukkah favorite.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
½ teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
Directions:
Using electric mixer, beat for 5 minutes until dough is shiny and smooth. Coat bowl with oil, form dough into ball and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 or 1½ hours until doubled in size.
Transfer dough onto floured surface and roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Using 2-inch round cutter, cut and place dough rounds on floured baking sheet. Reroll scraps and cut until you have 30 rounds. Cover with damp towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
Heat 6 cups of oil to 350 degrees in large kettle.
Transfer rounds, using a flat spatula, to hot oil, no more than 6 at a time Fry one and a half minutes, then flip with fork and fry or another minute and a half.
Remove with slotted spoon and cool on wire rack.
When cool enough to handle, pierce side of each with knife and pipe in 1 teaspoon of smooth jelly.
Dust with powdered sugar.
HAMANTASHEN (3-Cornered Pastry)
Purim is the exuberant holiday celebrating the Hebrew victory over Haman, the evil Persian ruler who planned to massacre all the Jews in Persia. The traditional delicacy is the hamantashen—a three-cornered pastry filled with poppy seed or other thick, dark preserves, such as prune, apricot, or cherry. The filling must be visible in the middle. The name comes from the shape of Haman’s hat—or, perhaps, from his peculiar triangular ears.
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1¼ cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 teaspoons baking powder
5½ to 6 cups flour
1-2 small jars of apricot, prune or cherry preserves, poppy seed filling, etc
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour and knead until smooth.
Roll out to 1/8 inch on a floured board, and cut out circles with a drinking glass.
Put a dollop of filling in the center of each circle. Fold in three sides over the filling to make a triangle with filling showing in the center. Seal edges with water or beaten egg and press corners tightly.
Bake for 15 minutes on greased cookie sheet.
KREPLACH (3-Cornered Dumplings)
Kreplach is a late-comer to the Purim celebration, but it serves two important functions. The doughy triangles, filled with some kind of meat or meat-substitute echo the shape of the hamantashen. Then, when boiled in a rich broth, they make a filling and nourishing soup to be distributed to the poor—a requirement of Purim that ranks next to the injunctions to be thankful and joyful.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. water
3 large eggs, well-beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Meat Filling:
1 small onion, chopped and sautéed with
¾ cup ground beef or chicken (cooked until no longer pink)
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
— or Cheese Filling (cooked in vegetable broth):
1 cup farmer cheese
¼ cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
— or Potato Filling:
1 cup cooked, mashed potato
¾ cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped or crushed fresh garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced scallions
1 egg yolk
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Beat the 3 eggs slightly. Add salt, water, and enough flour to make a medium-soft dough. Knead well by hand or mixer. Divide dough into 2 balls. Cover with a moist towel.
Working quickly, roll out 1 ball of dough very thin (almost transparent) and cut into strips, each 1½ inches wide. Then cut into pieces 1½ inches square. (Or cheat a little and use purchased wonton wrappers.)
Place ½ teaspoon filling on each square. Fold into a triangle and press edges together firmly, using flour to bind. Press two of the ends together or leave as triangles. Repeat with the second ball of dough.
Drop into boiling broth and cook, uncovered for 15 minutes.
FLOURLESS CHIPOTLE CHOCOLATE CAKE
Passover Dessert
Providing a flourless Passover dessert need not be impossible. Technically, this dessert may be more of a soufflé than a cake, but it is so rich and flavorful that no one will complain.
Ingredients:
1 pound butter
1 pound good-quality semisweet chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)
2 cups sugar
10 large eggs
½ teaspoon ground chipotle
Directions:
Melt butter in a double boiler. Chop chocolate into small pieces, add to butter, and mix with a spatula until melted and smooth.
In a large bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, and ground chipotle until light and frothy. Slowly add cooled chocolate mixture to the eggs and mix until fully combined.
Grease 10-inch springform pan with baking spray and pour batter into pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Place springform pan on top of a baking sheet. Place on middle oven rack in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The cake will puff up and then fall as it cools.
Let cake set for at least 30 minutes before removing sides of pan. Center of the cake should be set but still soft. Serve in small slices garnished with whipped cream and fresh berries.
PASSOVER CHAROSET (Apple Dip)
Bitter herbs and charoset are two of the items that must appear on the Seder plate. The herbs, representing suffering, are dipped into charoset, which soothes the pain. Because this dish is such an integral part of the Passover Seder, the cook may need to provide both the traditional recipe (with walnuts) and a nut-free version.
Ingredients:
3 apples, peeled and finely diced
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sweet red wine
1 tablespoon honey
(For a nut-free charoset, replace the walnuts with pears, chopped dates, or raisins.)
Directions:
Place in large bowl and toss to coat well. Chill for several hours.
If you want to use it more as a spread, you can pulse the ingredients in a food processor.
Serve with matzo, or use as a dip for bitter herbs.
Notes
1. The Hiring Seasons
1 ha-satan: not the Devil of Christianity, but simply ‘the adversary,’ one who tempts.
2 meshuggenah: a crazy person; one who has just made a bad mistake.
3 rabbi: learned one; a Jewish scholar or teacher; one who teaches Jewish law or serves as the leader of a Jewish community; in this case, Sarah's father.
4 neshama: a term of endearment; roughly meaning ‘my soul.’
5 HaShem: Observant Jews avoid speaking or writing the name of G_d. Instead, they use a euphemism such as this word, which means ‘the name.’
5. Moving Day
1 Oy veh: A Yiddish expression used to express dismay, or frustration, or exasperation.
8. The Stalker
1 shul: another word for synagogue, the building in which Jews meet as a community for prayers.
2 kibbutz: a collective community based on agriculture.
3 kvetch: complain; whine.
4 Mazel Tov: Congratulations. What good luck. Imagine that. How fortunate.
5 Rosh Hashana: the first two days of the new year, falling some time in early autumn. It introduces the High Holy Days, ten days of personal reflection and repentance. Jews mark the first day by prayers and the blowing of the shofar or ceremonial horn, after which families share a festive meal and joyful wishes for the coming year.
6 challah: a Jewish bread, either braided, or, on Rosh Hashanah, a round loaf. For the recipe, see Chapter 30.
7 kugel: a sweet dish suitable for a celebration. For the recipe, see Chapter 30.
8 kosher: fit to eat or consume; following all the Jewish dietary laws.
9 halvah: a soft, dense, fudge-like candy of Middle Eastern origin; made of sesame paste.
10 New York Bagels: See the complete recipe in Chapter 30.
9. An Italian Pizza
1 Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement; the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Jews mark it by a 25-hour fast, prayers, and repentance.
10. A New York Bagel
1 schmeer: a spread of cheese, butter, or other similar mixture, spread on a cracker or bagel.
2 Chopped Chicken Livers: See the complete recipe in Chapter 30.
3 Passover: an eight-day holiday in early spring, commemorating the escape of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, as told in the Torah, or the first five books of the Old Testament.
4 Seder: the ritual family meal celebrated at the start of Passover. The contents of the meal and the prayers and readings that accompany them are traditional. Among those traditions is the banishing of all leavening agents not only from the menu itself but from the kitchen where the cook prepares it.
5 ersatz: an inferior substitute for the real thing.
12. From Protest to Revenge
1 Shabbat candles: Jewish women light two candles several minutes before sunset on Fridays to usher in the Sabbath.
13. Preconceptions
1 Noshing: nibbling; having a light snack; in this case, tasting the samples.
15. Holidays
1 menorah: a nine-branched candelabrum.
2 latkes: Jewish pancakes made of grated potatoes and cooked in oil to remind the diners of the miracle of Hanukkah. See recipe in Chapter 30.
3 dreidel: a four-sided top-like children's toy.
4 Sufganiyot: jelly doughnuts fried in oil and dusted with powdered sugar. See recipe in Chapter 30.
5 goy: a person who is not Jewish.
16. Two Steps Backward
1 Haggadah: A liturgy describing the events of the Exodus.
2 Purim: a joyous and sometimes rowdy festival commemorating the defeat of Haman, a Persian leader who planned to kill all the Jews living under Persian rule.
3 Hamantashen: three-cornered pastries, filled with jam made from poppy seeds or stone fruit. Traditional at Purim because they resemble Haman's hat, or perhaps as some suggest, the shape of his ears. See recipe in Chapter 30.
4 kreplach: three-cornered dumplings filled with savory meat or cheese and sometimes served in soup for the poor. See recipe in Chapter 30.
22. The Best-Laid Plans
1 shalom: a Hebrew greeting that also means peace.
2 shikse: non-Jewish women; it can also mean blonde, showy, overblown.
3 chametz: anything made from flour, leavening, or a leavening agent; Kosher laws forbid all during Passover.
23. Nipped in the Bud
1 Flourless Chocolate Cake: See recipe in Chapter 30.
2 charoset: a mixture of chopped apples and other fruits with sugar, all ground up together and allowed to turn brown to resemble the mortar the Hebrews had used as slaves. See recipe in Chapter 30.
; LIVER SCHMEER (Chopped Chicken Liver)
1 schmaltz: rendered chicken fat.
POTATO LATKES (Fried Potato Pancakes)
1 Matzo is a small unleavened cracker made of flour and water and handled quickly to avoid any chance of it encountering a leavening agent; matzo meal is simply those crackers crushed fine.
What Grows in Your Garden Page 26