White Bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C water
• 4 Tbs dry milk
• 4 Tbs oil
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 C bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 Tbs starter (mahmetzet)or (sourdough)- see recipe in the blog

Directions

1. Add the ingredients into the bread pan in the order listed above- up to the starter
2. The starter you add some seconds after the machine starts to function
3. When bread is baked, take it out of the pan
4. Let bread cool thoroughly before slicing

Walnut Cake

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C sugar
• 1 C flour
• 100 gr butter (room temperature)
• 4 Tbs milk
• 1 package vanilla sugar
• 1/2 package Baking powder
• 1/2 C walnuts, chopped
• 1 Small apple, chopped into small chunks or 50 gr chocolate chips

Directions

1. Grease a tube pan
2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites
3. Whisk together butter and sugar
4. Add egg yolks
5. Add flour and baking powder, milk, vanilla sugar
6. Fold in walnuts and chocolate or apple
7. Fold in egg whites
8. Pour the mixture into the greased pan
9. Bake in 180 C preheated oven for about 45 minutes

Almond Cookies

Ingredients

• 250 gr almonds, sliced thinly
• 1/4 C sugar
• 2 egg whites
• (optional) 50 gr chocolate chips

Directions

1. Beat with a fork egg whites with sugar
2. Add almonds and (optional) chocolate chips
3. Pour a tablespoon of the mixture into oiled muffin cups. With the back of the spoon form a very thin layer of almonds
4. Instead of muffin cups you can line a baking pan with baking paper. Pour a tablespoon of mixture over the baking pan with 2 cm distance from each other
5. Bake in 180 C preheated oven for 10 - 15 minutes
6. Once the cookies are cool, store in airtight container

Passover Megina ( Meat Pie )

Ingredients

• 1 kg ground meat
• 1 C chopped onions
• 7 eggs
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 3 Tbs oil
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper and nutmeg
• 1/4 C chopped parsley
• 4 sheets of matzo, soaked in water, squeezed and crumbled.
• 2 potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1/2 or 1 C chicken broth

Directions

1. Brown onions in oil.
2. Add meat, cook breaking up meat with a wooden spoon.
3. Simmer until all liquid evaporates.
4. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. When mixture is cool, add parsley, hard boiled eggs and matzos.
6. Add  6 beaten eggs mixing slowly.
7. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish.
8. Beat an egg, mix with the mashed potatoes. Spread the mixture over top.
9. Bake in 200 C oven for about 30 minutes.
10. After removing from oven, pour chicken broth over top.

Mushroom Quiche

 Dough

• 1 1/2 C flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100 gr butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbs water (if needed)

Place all the above ingredients into the food processor to prepare the dough. It can be prepared without food processor, too.

Ingredients

• 500 gr button mushrooms, cut into quarters or slices
• 2 Tbs oil
• 2 onions, chopped or thinly sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper
• 250 ml creme fraiche 15 % or 9 % cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 2 C gruyere cheese, grated

Directions

1. Fit dough into a round or square pie pan. Make some holes with a fork.
2. Freeze the dough.
3. Before baking, place baking paper over frozen dough. Fill with dried beans.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. Remove beans and baking paper.
6. Return to oven for about 10 more minutes.
7. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Cook onions. Add mushrooms and cook until all liquid has evaporated. Let the mixture cool.
8. Sprinkle 1/4 of the grated cheese over the bottom of the crust.
9. Spread cooled mushroom - onion mixture evenly.
10. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese over the mushroom mixture.
11. In a bowl whisk together cream cheese or cream, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg
12. Pour this mixture over mushrooms.
13. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the top.
14. Bake on 190 C preheated oven for about 30 minutes.

Cheese Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/3 C oil
• 80 gr butter,  room temperature
• 1/3 C yogurt
• 2 eggs, for the dough
• 3 1/2 C - 4 C flour
• 1 package Baking Powder
• 1 C gruyere cheese, grated 
• 1 C Bulgarit cheese or other white cheese, grated
• 1/4 C fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper
• sesame seeds and black seeds for topping
• 1 egg, for topping

Directions

1. Make a dough with the ingredients mentioned above.
2. Place the dough in a bowl. Cover it. Let it rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
3. Roll the dough in a floured surface about 1/2 cm thick.
4. Cut with round disc.
5. Brush the cookies with beaten egg.
6. Sprinkle sesame and black seeds on top.
7. Bake at 180 C - 190 C preheated oven, until golden brown.
8. Store in airtight container.

Baked Macaroni

Ingredients

• 200 gr Casarecce pasta or elbow macaroni or any other kind of macaroni
• 250 gr button mushrooms, cut into quarters
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs oil
• 1 sour cream 9%
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper and paprika
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 1 C gruyere cheese, grated
• 1/2 C parmesan cheese, grated
• gruyere cheese for topping

Directions

1. Boil water in a large pot. Add 1 Tbs salt. Add pasta into boiling water.
2. Cook pasta to al dente. Almost firm, not soft.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Cook onions, then add mushrooms. Stir and cook for a few minutes.
4. In a small bowl whisk egg with sour cream. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. Add  cheeses. Pour the mixture over mushrooms. Mix well.
6. Pour the mushroom - cheese mixture over cooked pasta. Mix well.
7. Pour the pasta mixture into a baking dish or as seen below into individual silicon baking molds.
8. Top with grated cheese.
9. Bake in 190 C preheated oven for about 15 minutes.

Sambusa (Stuffed triangular meat pastries)

Ingredients

• 1/2 package Maroccan cigar sheet dough or phyllo
• 1/2 kg ground beef or ground chicken breast
• 1-2 onions, chopped
• 2 Tbs oil
• 1 Tbs chicken soup mix
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper and paprika
• fresh coriander, chopped
• 2-3 Tbs Masala 
• 1 Tbs flour (for paste)
• 1 Tbs water (for paste)

Ingredients for Masala

• 1-2 C fresh coriander
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 hot green pepper, seeds removed

Directions for Masala

1. Place coriander, garlic, hot green pepper into food processor. Add 2-3 Tbs of water. 
2. You can freeze this mixture and take a little when ever you need it.

Directions for filling

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onions. Cook stirring.
2. Add ground meat, masala and soup mix. Continue cooking . While cooking, separate the meat with a wooden spoon to avoid clumps from forming. Cook until all liquid has evaporated.
3. Add salt and pepper. Turn off heat.
4. Add fresh coriander. Mix well. Set aside.
5. In a small bowl mix flour and water to make a paste.

Directions for Sambusa

1. Cut the Maroccan cigar sheet dough in half and fold each of them. If you use phyllo sheets, cut them into about 4 cm strips.
2. Place 1 Tbs of meat filling on the bottom end of each strip.
3. Fold from side to side diagonally to form a triangle.
4. Stick the edge with a drop of flour - water paste.
5. Heat oil and fry the sambusas until golden brown.
6. Place them on a paper towel to soak extra oil.

Crispy Breadsticks

Ingredients

• 100 gr butter
• 1/2 C oil
• 1 C + 2 Tbs water
• 3 tsp instant yeast ( mix with flour or add to dough during first stage of mixing)
• 3 tsp anise (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• about  5- 1/2 C flour

Topping

• 1 egg, beaten
• sesame seeds
• black seeds

Directions

1. Make a dough with all the ingredients.
2. Place dough in an oiled and floured bowl. Let dough rise for 1 hour.
3. Divide dough into portions. Shape each into a ball.
4. Place each ball on a floured surface and roll into about 10-15 cm long stick.
5. If you wish you can twist 2 thin sticks together.
6. In a shallow bowl combine sesame seeds and black seeds.
7. In an other shallow bowl place beaten egg.
8. Dip bread sticks in egg then in sesame mixture.
9. Place sticks on a baking tray covered with baking paper.
10. Let bread sticks rise for 1/2 hour.
11. Bake in 180 C -190 C preheated oven for about 20 minutes- until browned and crispy.
12. Store in airtight container.

Spinach Borek (Spinach Pastry)

Ingredients

• 1/2 packageTurkish yufka or 1/2 package phyllo
• 1 kg fresh spinach or 1 package frozen spinach
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 C feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 C gruyere, parmesan or any other hard cheese, grated
• 2 Tbs oil
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper
• 1/4 C oil for brushing dough

Ingredients for topping

• 3 eggs
• 1 C milk
• 1 yogurt
• sesame seeds

Directions for spinach filling

1. Squeeze frozen spinach and chop.
2. Cook onions in oil and add chopped spinach. Cook for a few minutes.
3. When it cools add cheese,salt and pepper. Stir well.
4. If you use fresh spinach, chop spinach. Add salt, pepper and  cheese.
5. Stir well.

Directions for borek

1. Oil a baking pan.
2. Take a sheet of phyllo or yufka. Cut phyllo in halves, yufka into quarters.
3. Brush the dough with oil. Put some filling on the long edge and roll up like a thick cigar to opposite end.
4. Start from the center of the pan and roll it like a snake.
5. Continue rolling each cigar around the previous one until the whole pan is filled.
6. Whisk milk, yogurt with eggs.
7. Pour the mixture over the borek.
8. Sprinkle sesame seeds.
9. Refrigerate it for some hours.
10. Preheat oven 190 C.
11. Bake borek for about 45 minutes, until brown on top and cooked from the bottom.

Note:The same borek you can prepare with cheese filling

Ingredients for potato - cheese filling

• 2 C potatoes, mashed
• 1 C feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 C gruyere cheese, grated
• 1/2 C parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 egg , beaten

Combine all the ingredients

Sun-dried Tomato and Olive Bread (bread machine)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C water
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs silan (date honey), or dark sugar, or molassa
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 C bread flour
• 3/4 C rye flour
• 2 Tbs ground flax seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
• 2 Tbs starter (sourdough)- see recipe in the blog
• 2 Tbs black olive rings, rinsed, drained and mixed with 1 tsp of flour
• 2 Tbs sun-dried tomatoes, cut into large pieces
• 1-2 Tbs sunflower seeds

Directions

1. Add the ingredients  into the bread pan in the order listed above. Up to the starter
2. The starter you add a minute after the machine starts to function.
3. The olives, sun-dried tomatoes and the sunflower seeds you add depending when your machine gives the signal.
4. When bread is baked, take it out of the pan.
5. Let bread cool thoroughly before slicing.

Meat Borek

Ingredients

• 1/2 package phyllo or Turkish yufka as seen in the pictures
• 1/2 kg ground meat
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1/2 C parsley, chopped
• 3 Tbs oil
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
• 3 eggs
• 1 C soda water or milk
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper
• 1/4 C oil for brushing daugh

Directions for filling

1. In a small saucepan cook onion until light brown.
2. Add  ground meat. Cook mixing with a wooden spoon until all liquid has evaporated.
3. Add 1 beaten egg. Mix well.
4. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. Let the mixture cool

Directions for borek

1. Oil a baking pan.
2. Take a sheet of phillo or yufka. Cut yufka into quarters, phyllo in halves. Brush with oil, put some filling on the long edge and roll up like a thick cigar to opposite end.
3. Start from the center of the pan and roll it like a snake.
4. Continue rolling each cigar around the previous one until the whole pan is filled.
5. Whisk soda water or milk with 2 eggs.
6. Pour the mixture over the borek.
7. Sprinkle sesame seeds.
8. Refrigerate it for some hours.
9. Preheat the oven 190 C.
10. Bake it for almost 45 minutes, until brown on top and cooked from the bottom.

Biscochos ( Cookies)

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 C sugar
• 1 C oil
• 1/2 C orange juice
• zest of orange
• 1 package baking powder
• 1 package vanilla sugar
• 700 gr flour  or  600 gr flour and 100 gr almonds, blanched, finely grind

Directions

1. Mix eggs, sugar, orange juice and oil in mixing bowl.
2. Add flour (optional) almonds , baking powder and vanilla. Knead the dough in the machine for 5-10 minutes into a medium dough.Dough should be smooth and elastic.
3. Place the dough in a large oiled and floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest for about 8-10 hours in the refrigerator.
4. Shape the cookies as thin sticks or rings.
5. If you have a meat grinder, pass the dough through meat grinder fitted with a special cookies accessory. It is also possible to use a pastry bag or cookie press.
6. Line 2-3 baking trays with baking paper.
7. Arrange the cookies on the baking tray.
8. Bake in 190 C preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Store in airtight container.

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.

                                                                                 

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.

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.