Focaccia

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 C water 
• 4 Tbs olive oil (1/4 C) 
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 4 1/2 C bread flour
• 2 1/2 tsp dried yeast
• 2 Tbs sourdough  (optional)
• 2 tsp salt

Ingredients for topping

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs coarse salt
• optional (bunch of fresh rosemary)

Directions

1. Combine water, oil, sugar, flour and dry yeast in the mixer bowl. Place the dough hook.
2. Mix in low speed for about 2 minutes. Add sourdough (optional). Mix for a minute.
3. Add salt. Continue mixing for 10 more minutes in medium speed. Mix until dough is smooth and elastic. If dough is still sticky, add a little flour.
4. Form a round dough.
5. Place the dough in an oiled and floured bowl.
6. Cover with plastic wrap.
7. Let it rise 1 hour, until volume doubles.
8. With your hands push down the dough, gently. 
9. Form a ball, or 2 smaller balls with the dough.
10. Flatten each ball with your hands. Stretch it until you reach the size and shape you desire. About 1 cm thick.
11. Place the flattened, shaped dough on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
12. Let rest for 1/2 hour.
13. Press gently with your fingertips to form some holes.
14. Brush with oil and sprinkle coarse salt and (optional) rosemary.
15. Let rest for almost 1 hour.
16. (optional) Put a bowl with a cup of water in the bottom of the oven right before you put the bread.
17. Bake in 210 C preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.

                                                                                 

Tomates Reinados (Stuffed Tomatoes with Meat)

Ingredients

• 8 medium tomatoes
• 1/2 kg ground meat
• 1 small onion , chopped
• 1 Tbs bread crumbs
• 2 eggs (1 for the filling, 1 for frying)
• 3 Tbs tomato paste mixed with water to get about 1 C or 1 C tomato sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper
• about 1 C flour

Directions

1. Cut the tomatoes in 2 halves
2. Using a small spoon, scoop out the pulp.
3. Mix together ground meat, onion, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper.
4. Stuff the tomato halves.
5. Prepare a baking dish or a large pan. Put a layer of chopped onions at the bottom. Pour over half of the tomato sauce.
6. Prepare a bowl with a beaten egg, and a plate with flour, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
7. Dip the top of stuffed tomato half in flour. Shake the excess flour.
8. Afterwards dip in beaten egg.
9. Fry the top side of the stuffed tomatoes in small amount of hot oil until golden brown.
10. Place them in the baking dish or in the large pot.
11. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the stuffed and fried tomato halves.
12. Bake, covered in 200 C oven for about 1 hour, Or you can cook them in medium heat, in a large pan covered with a lid.

Layered Eggplant

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg ground meat 
• 6 eggplants, peeled, sliced
• 3 potatoes, peeled, half cooked, sliced
• 2 onions, chopped (1 onion for tomato sauce, 1 onion for meat sauce)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 tomatoes
• 3-4 Tbs tomato paste
• oil 
• cherry tomatoes

Directions for the eggplants

1. Fill a large container with water. Add 1/4 C salt.
2. Slice eggplants, soak them in salted water for about 30 minutes. 
3. Drain eggplants, wash them with fresh water, drain  once more and dry well.
4. Line an oven tray with aluminium foil. Place eggplants on the foil. Brush them with oil.
5. Broil for about 5 minutes each side. Broil until lightly browned. Set aside.

Directions for meat sauce

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Cook onions. 
2. Add meat. Cook stirring with a wooden spoon to break up into small pieces . Cook until all liquid has evaporated.
3. Add salt and pepper.
4. Turn off heat. Set aside

Directions for tomato sauce

1. Cook onions and garlic in 1 Tbs oil until light brown.
2. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and about 1 C water.
3. Simmer until slightly thickened. Set aside

Directions for layered eggplant

1. Put a layer of thinly sliced and half cooked potatoes in an oiled large pan.
2. Top with a layer of eggplant slices. (1/3 of the  eggplant slices)
3. Cover the eggplant slices with half of the meat sauce.
4. Top with 1/3 of the tomato sauce.
5. Repeat layers: eggplant - meat - tomato sauce - eggplant - tomato sauce.
6. Arrange halves of cherry tomatoes on top.
7. Cover the pan with a baking sheet and an aluminium foil on top.
8. Bake in a 210 C preheated oven for about 45 minutes.
9. Take off  baking sheet and aluminium foil. Bake until top is medium brown.

Whole Rye Yogurt Bread (Bread Machine)

Ingredients

• 3/4 C water
• 3/4 C yogurt
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2  Tbs dark brown sugar or molassa or silan (date honey)
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 3 C white bread flour
• 3/4 C whole rye flour
• 2 Tbs ground flax seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
• 2 Tbs starter (see sourdough recipe)

Directions

1. Add the ingredients into the bread pan in the order listed above. Up to the " starter".
2. Place the bread pan in the machine.
3. The "starter" you add a minute after the machine starts to function.
4. When bread is baked, take it out of the pan.
5. Let bread cool thoroughly before slicing.

Ground-Beef Stuffed Zucchini (Grandma's kitchen from Aleppo)

Ingredients

• 8 zucchini (ends trimmed)
• 1/2 kg ground-beef
• 1/4 C rice, uncooked
• 1 lemon, juice
• 3-4 clove garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 Tbs oil (for the meat filling)
• 2 Tbs oil (for cooking)
• 1 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper
• 1/4 C fresh mint, finely chopped, or 2-3 Tbs dried mint
• 2 Tbs water (for the meat filling)

Directions

1. Cut ends of zucchinis.
2. Cut zucchinis in halves.
3. Hollow out center of zucchinis leaving a thin shell.
4. Put rinsed and drained rice in a bowl.
5. Add ground-beef, salt, pepper, 2 Tbs water and 2 Tbs oil. Mix well to get a soft filling.
6. Stuff the zucchini shells up to 1/2 cm to the top. (Stuffing will expend during cooking)
7. Arrange stuffed zucchinis in a large pan.
8. Sprinkle the zucchinis with mint, garlic, salt and pepper.
9. Pour lemon juice and 2 Tbs oil.
10. Cover the zucchinis with water.
11. Cover the pan with lid.
12. At the beginning cook in medium heat. Afterwards lower heat. 
13. Cook for about 30 minutes.
14. Cook until zucchinis are firm tender, meat is cooked and all liquid is almost absorbed.

Red Cabbage Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium head red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, grated julienne
• 3-4 green onions, cut small
• 2 Tbs dried cranberries
• 1 Tbs dark sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper
• 3 Tbs red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs orange or mandarin juice
• 1/2 lemon juice
• 1/4 C oil
• 1 orange, peeled and sliced 
• 1 C instant vermicelli, roasted (Magic)
• 1/2 C almonds, toasted

Directions

1. In the food processor or with a mandolin slicer, slice thin cabbage.
2. To the sliced cabbage add carrots, green onions,cranberries and orange slices.
3. Put lemon juice, vinegar, orange juice, salt, pepper, sugar and oil into a small jar. Put the lid. Close tightly. Shake well.
4. Pour the sauce over the salad 1/2 hour before serving.
5. Mix the salad with the sauce. Toss well.
6. Top salad with roasted, crumbled vermicelli and toasted almonds before serving.

Pears Poached On Red Wine

Ingredients

• 6 pears, peeled and cored
• 1 bottle red wine
• 1/2 C sugar
• 2 clou de girofle ( clove )
• a pinch of cinnamon
• 1 package vanilla sugar
• 1/2 lemon juice
• lemon or orange zest

Directions

1. Apart pears bring to a boil all the ingredients.
2. When  mixture starts to boil, lower heat and add pears.
3. Cook  pears for about 20 minutes turning them once or twice.
4. They have to be almost firm tender, but not too tender.
5. Remove pears and let them cool.
6. Slice them as seen in the picture.
7. Boil  liquid until half of the quantity is evaporated.
8. Pour the sauce over the pears.
9. Serve as a dessert or as accompaniment to Chicken Liver Pate.
10. Note: You can replace red wine by white wine if you wish.

Choux a la Creme (Cream Puffs)

Ingredients for pate a choux (pastry dough):

• 100 ml water
• 50 gr butter
• 100 gr flour
• 3 or 4 eggs (depending the size)
• a pinch of salt

Ingredients for filling : (Creme patissiere)

• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 Lt milk
• 1 pack. vanilla sugar
• 1 tsp Grand Marnier (orange liqueur)

Ingredients for topping : (Caramel)

• 1 C sugar

Directions for pate a choux (pastry dough):

1. Put water, butter and salt in a saucepan. Bring to boil.
2. When butter has completely melted. Remove from heat.
3. Add flour. Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until smooth.
4. Return to heat. Continue stirring until dough doesn't stick to the bottom and is dry.
5. Remove from heat. Add eggs one at a time - stirring well with a wooden spoon or (mix with  a hand mixer). Wait until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next one.
6. Dough has to become very smooth.
7. With a teaspoon or with a pastry bag drop the batter in form of small balls. Place them evenly on oven tray covered with baking paper.
8. Place a container with 1 C water on the bottom of the oven. This will create a steamy atmosphere which helps pastry to rise better.
9. Bake on 200 C preheated oven without opening the oven. If you open the oven, they could collapse.
10. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
11. Let them cool.

Directions for filling: (Creme patissiere)

1. In a saucepan heat milk over medium heat..
2. In a small bowl whisk eggs with sugar.You can use hand mixer .
3. Add flour, mix well.
4. When milk starts to boil remove from heat.
5. Pour the egg mixture to hot milk stirring quickly with a whisk or with a hand mixer.
6. Return the saucepan to medium low heat. Stir continuously and cook until almost thick.
7. Add vanilla sugar and Grand Marnier. Stir well.
8. Transfer to a bowl. Let cool.
9. Cover with plastic wrap.

Directions for topping: (Caramel)

1. Pour sugar in a small pan and heat in medium high heat.
2. Shake the pot from time to time, from side to side. But don't stir!
3. When sugar has dissolved and you have a golden caramel, remove the pan from heat.

Directions to Serve

1. Cut each puff one third of the way down from the top with a sharp knife.
2. Fill the inside with creme patissiere. Use a teaspoon.
3. Stick the top back.
4. Cover the puffs with hot caramel .
5. Arrange them in a serving dish.

Chicken Liver Pate

Ingredients

• 500 gr chicken livers, cleaned well, drained
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 2 Tbs oil
• 50 gr butter
• 50 mg cream
• 2 tsp cognac
• 10 grinds black peeper (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper and paprika

Directions

1. Pour the oil on a small saucepan. Cook onions until light brown.
2. Add  chicken livers. Cook well for about 10 minutes. Let cool.
3. Put the liver mixture in a food processor. Or with a hand blender, blend the  mixture until smooth.
4. Add  hard boiled eggs, butter, cream, pepper, paprika, cognac. Process until smooth.
5. Wrap with plastic a bowl or a tube pan.
6. Transfer the liver mixture to the plastic wrapped container.
7. Press it well.
8. Cover it with plastic wrap.
9. Refrigerate at least  for 5 hours.
10. Serve with toasts, accompanied by onion , berries or another jam.
11. You can also serve with pears poached on wine. Note: See recipe-- In Desserts

White Fish Gratin

Ingredients for fish  mixture:

• 1- 1 1/2 kg fish , fillet (Nile perch, boneless)
• 1/2 kg button mushrooms, cut in quarters
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, cut into small cubes
• 2 Tbs oil
• 1/2 C milk, for marinade

Ingredients for bechamel sauce (white sauce):

• 750 mg milk  
• 100 mg 15% cream (optional)
• 40 gr flour
• 40 gr butter
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp  nutmeg
• a pinch of pepper
• 150 gr gruyere (Swiss cheese for the top)

Directions for fish mixture:

1. Place  fish in a shallow bowl and marinate with milk for at least an hour.
2. Drain fish well .
3. Boil enough water to cover fish in a large pan. Add salt and pepper.
4. Add fish. Cook for a few minutes until fish  has changed color and is white. Don't over cook.
5. Drain and cut fish into small pieces. Transfer fish to a large bowl.
6. In a large frying pan put  oil and cook  onions, then add carrots. Simmer for a minute. Add mushrooms. Cook until all liquid is evaporated.
7. Combine delicately fish and mushroom mixture.

Directions for  Bechamel Sauce

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add flour
3. Cook stirring for 1 minute or until bubbly.
4. Remove from heat
5. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly until mixture is smooth.
6. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
7. Return to heat. Cook stirring with a wooden spoon until sauce is thick.  
8. Stir in cream (optional)  and continue cooking for a few minutes.
9. Remove from heat. Stir in mustard.

Directions

1. Stir in bechamel  sauce delicately to fish mixture.
2. Prepare 6-8 shallow baking dishes side by side.
3. Pour  fish- mushroom -bechamel mixture equally in  small baking dishes.
4. Spread grated gruyere on top.
5. Bake on 200 C preheated oven until  golden brown.
6. Serve hot.

Orange Cookies

Ingredients

• 120 gr butter, room temperature
• 1/3 C oil
• 1 1/4 C sugar
• 2 eggs (1 egg white is for topping )
• 1 package baking powder
• 1 package vanilla sugar
• 1/3 C orange juice
• 5 C flour

Topping

• 2 oranges, zest only
• 4 Tbs sugar
• 1 egg white

Directions

1. In a  large bowl beat butter and sugar until creamy. You can use electric mixer on medium speed.
2. Stir in eggs, oil, orange juice and vanilla sugar.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Slowly add flour with baking powder.
4. Mix until just combined. Don't over mix.
5. Form a ball of dough. Lightly flour work surface or spread a baking paper over working surface.
6. Roll the dough to make a long sausage shape of about  4 cm diameter.( or 3 small sausages)
7. Put in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours or until firm.
8. Slice it into thin discs.
9. Place the cookies on oven tray covered with baking paper.
10. Mix well the topping ingredients. Brush or spread this mixture evenly over the cookies.
11. Bake on 180 C preheated oven for about 15 - 20 minutes or until pale golden brown.
12. Store in airtight container.

Directions for 2 colored cookies

1. Divide dough into 2 equal parts.
2. Add 2 Tbs cacao powder to 1/2 of the dough. Mix well.
3. Cover each dough with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator.
4. Roll each dough separately. Give them a rectangle shape.
5. Lay the rectangles one on top of the other.
6. Roll the dough like a cigar.
7. Return to the refrigerator for about an hour.
8. Slice it about 1/2 cm thick.
9. (Optional) Brush the cookies with topping ingredients.
10. Bake on 180 C oven.
11. Store in airtight container.

Chocolate Cream

Ingredients

• 1 Lt. milk
• 3 Tbs cornflour
• 125 gr creme fraiche
• 4 Tbs cacao
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 package vanilla sugar
• 20 gr butter
• 100 gr dark chocolate
• (optional) petit beure  biscuit or lady fingers or any other cookie

Directions

1. Melt  cornflour with 1 C milk
2. Put 3/4 Lt. milk, cream, cacao and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
3. Turn heat off. Add the cornflour mixture.
4. Return to medium heat. Stir continuously until thick.
5. Turn heat off. Add chocolate, butter and vanilla sugar. Stir well.
6. Prepare 6-8 small bowls side by side.
7. (optional) Put a biscuit at the bottom of each bowl
8. Pour the creme  equally in the bowls.
9. Put the bowls in the refrigerator.
10. (optional) Before serving sprinkle ground walnuts or almonds or coconut on top..

Muhallebi

Ingredients

• 1 Lt. milk
• 1/2 C+ 1Tbs flour
• 1/2 C sugar
• 2 package vanilla sugar
• 40 gr butter
• (optional) cinnamon, crushed nuts, coconut, fruit and jelly.....for topping

Directions

1. Melt butter in a saucepan, in low heat.
2. Add flour, stir with a wooden spoon.
3. Add slowly milk, stirring or whisking.
4. Add sugar. Continue to cook, whisking or stirring continuously.
5. When it gets thick, turn off  heat.
6. Add vanilla sugar.
7. Let it cool a little.
8. Pour it into a blender and blend it for about 5 minutes. 
9. Pour into individual bowls. Refrigerate the muhallebies.
10. Garnish with one of the topping options

Topping  (any one of the toppings indicated below)

1. Cinnamon
2. Ground walnuts
3. Coconut
4. Fruit and jelly
5. Passion fruit
6. 100 gr dark chocolate melted in 100 mg creme fraiche and topped with ground Chinese pecan nuts

Salad Russe

Ingredients

• 3 potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut in small cubes
• 3 carrots, peeled, boiled, cut in small cubes
• 1/2 C peas, boiled
• 1/2 C pickled cucumbers, cut in small cubes
• 1/2 C mayonnaise mixed with 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp dry tarragon
• a pinch of salt, pepper and paprika
• (optional) 1-2 boiled eggs, cut in small cubes and combined with the mixture or cut in slices to garnish

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Transfer onto the serving plate.

Creamed Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 kg. fresh spinach, cooked , chopped  and squeezed or 1 package frozen spinach, chopped, squeezed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 Tbs oil
• 3 Tbs butter (25 gr.)
• 3 Tbs flour
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1 tsp salt, a pinch of pepper, a pinch of nut-meg

Directions

1. Cook spinach in boiling water, drain and squeeze well.
2. In a small frying pan heat oil. Cook onion until light brown.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour, stir well.
4. Add milk, continue stirring until sauce is thick.
5. Add salt, pepper, nut-meg.
6. Add squeezed spinach. Mix well. Continue cooking in low heat for 3-4 minutes. Serve.

Fritada de Calavasa ( Squash or Zucchini )

Ingredients

• 4 -5 medium zucchini, grated and salted with 1 tsp salt
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 spring onions, chopped
• 1 carrot, grated (optional)
• 1/2 C  fresh parsley, dill and mint, chopped
• 1 tsp salt, a pinch of pepper and paprika
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 C flour or 2 medium potatoes, cooked and mashed or 2 slices of white bread, soaked (crust removed) and squeezed
• 4 Tbs oil
• 100 gr (1 C) gruyere (Swiss cheese), grated,  or bread crumbs for the top

Directions

1. Combine grated zucchini, chopped onion and 1 tsp salt. Leave it by side for 15 minutes.
2. Squeeze the mixture well with your hands. Or put the mixture into a cheese-cloth and squeeze, press with your hands. Try to remove all liquid. Put the mixture in a large bowl.
3. Add carrot (optional), parsley, dill, mint (a combination of all of them, or only one of them).
4. Add flour or mashed potatoes or bread.
5. Add the eggs one at a time (mix with a hand mixer if possible).
6. Pour the oil over the mixture, stirring well.
7. Optional, add half of the cheese. Mix well.
8. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish.
9. Top with the other half of grated cheese or with bread crumbs.
10. Bake in 180 C preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until lightly brown.

Gateau Salam ( Mosaic cake )

Ingredients

• 350 gr petit-beurre biscuit, broken into pieces
• 3/4 C milk
• 3 Tbs cacao
• 100 gr dark chocolate
• 50 gr butter
• 1/3 C sugar ( If you like sweeter you can add 1/2 C sugar)
• 1 package vanilla sugar
• 1/2 C almonds and walnuts cut to small pieces and roasted (optional)
• 1-2 Tbs candied orange or lemon peels cut to small pieces (optional)

Directions

1. Heat milk in a small saucepan. Add  butter, chocolate, cacao and sugar.
2. Cook on low heat, stirring well until butter and chocolate melt.
3. Let  the mixture cool.
4. Break biscuits into small pieces in a large bowl.
5. Add the chocolate mixture, the roasted almonds and walnuts.
6. Put the mixture over a large piece of plastic or cellophane.
7. Wrap with the plastic. Squeeze from all the sides. Give the form of a big salami.
8. Put it in freezer. Serve cold.

Salmon Salad

Ingredients

• 500 gr salmon, fillet, cooked and cut into small pieces
• 1 red pepper, diced (cut into small cubes)
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 Tbs mayonnaise, mixed with 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp mustard and 2-3 drops of tabasco
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 avocados, diced and seasoned with 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, cut into small cubes
• 1 small lettuce, outer leaves removed, cut into 3 cm pieces and dried with salad spinner

Directions

1. In a shallow bowl combine gently cooked salmon pieces, red pepper, cucumber, onion, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
2. On individual dishes arrange lettuce, salmon mix, tomatoes and avocado.