Breaking Passover at La Pizza Fresca

Despite the fact that not a ONE of you contributed to where I should eat on Passover, I decided on La Pizza Fresca due to the rave reviews I found on Menupages. And though an $18 pasta dish is a little rich for me at the moment, by the looks of the place I figured I wouldn’t be disappointed.

My friends Sarah, Leora, and I arrived at La Pizza Fresca a little before 8pm thinking that we would be seated just in time to officially break Passover at 8:30pm. Suprisingly, we found the restaurant was still half-empty around 8pm but quickly filled up soon after we’d sat down. After a few attempts at catching the attention of our waiter, we finally got to ordering three glasses of their $13 White Wine Blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, and Trebbiano. Since there were only two white wines to choose from (one of which was $8 and unappealing) we decided to splurge for the good stuff, which proved to be quite tasty and a large pour! Now onto the main course…

I gave the menu a quick once over though I already knew exactly what I wanted… The Rigatoni ala Siciliana.

But it was fun listening to Sarah and Leora converse over their orders. Sarah, being a BIG pizza connoisseur, naturally wanted an excuse to have La Pizza Fresca’s pizza, once again! Though at one point her and Leora were very close to ordering the special Gnocchi made with asparagus and morels (woody mushrooms) they essentially wanted to eliminate the morels which I explained would compromise the flavor of the dish. Now, I am someone who is constantly asking for substitutions, but THIS dish should not be tampered with! So after all that they ended up with Margherita and Fresca pizzas.

Though the food looked, smelled, and tasted very good, I couldn’t help thinking how small my $18 pasta dish was. I wonder what the half order looked like! Needless to say I was STARVING after eating my 8 rigatonis and 8 eggplant bits. Yes, the rigatoni was delicious and cooked perfectly and the sauce was as satisfying as whipped cream on an ice cream sundae but WHERE WAS THE REST OF IT?

I didn’t try the pizza though Sarah and Leora both enjoyed it. Would I go back, NO!!!! There are too many better priced Italian restaurants that serve excellent pizza and pasta and I haven’t even been to most of them yet. So I think it’s safe to cross La Pizza Fresca off of your list of NYC Italian Restaurants to try. Unfortunately they are overpriced, serve tiny portions, and have sweet french bread. Now who wants sweet bread as an appetizer?

Shmaltz HE’BREW Beer Tasting ON Passover

Last night I attended a PRIVATE Shmaltz Beer Tasting over at the Blind Tiger, thanks to  Foodbuzz.  Though this event was ironically held the night BEFORE Passover ended, I figured it was a unique opportunity that God had bestowed upon me. I mean it’s HE’BREW!

After making my peace with breaking Passover and arriving at the Blind Tiger I was immediately bombarded with dozens of eager beer drinkers, which I later learned were beer bloggers. Needless to say, the place was packed and I was happy to be among my fellow beer aficionados! Eventually Shmaltz reps Matt Polacheck and Sean Lynch found Christophe (of Chez What) and I and gave us a rundown on the 12 beers (coincidence I, think not) Shmaltz was serving that night.

After assessing our palettes, Matt & Sean decided to serve us a tasting of HE’BREW’s Coney Island Sword Swallower,  Rejewvenator, Jewbelation 12, and Coney Island Human Block Head (Aged in Jack Daniel’s Barrels). These four beers, as well as the others are considered to be vintage brews which will no longer be served (at least in NY) after Blind Tiger taps out. Lucky us!

Before last night, I hadn’t even heard of Shmaltz’s Coney Island line. Apparently Coney Island USA, a non-for-profit Coney Island corporation, approached Shmaltz about an exclusive line of “experimental lagers” to generate income for Coney Island. Though Shmaltz was hesitant at first, they decided to amuse themselves by designing a comical and entertaining line of lagers to reflect the personalities of Coney Island’s finest Sideshow talent. Shmaltz created a circus of five beers featuring Coney Island’s top Sideshow acts which later became Coney Island Craft Lagers.

But despite the successful specialty circus line, Shmaltz’s original line began with HE’BREW.  Their existence began with Messiah Bold and later created Genesis Ale, which are still the only two beers sold in 6-packs at retail stores today.  Thankfully, HE’BREW was blessed with the births of many other joyous lagers including the Rejewvenator, my favorite of the four lagers I’d tasted. The Rejewvenator is unique in that its half lager-half ale (lager yeast that has been converted to ale) and naturally sweetened with California fig juice. Though the other HE’BREWs were excellent I believe the Rejewvenator really stood out from the rest; with the Jewbelation 12 coming to a close second probably just because of the 26 ingredients it took to brew it!

Now HE’BREW celebrates 13 wonderful years of livelihood (Mazel Tov!), and you have to be wondering, what’s up next? All I can tell you right now is, expect a BAR-MITZVAH lager made from 13 malts, 13 hops, brewed every 13 hours and served in 13 countries, 13 times a year OR some similar shtick.

For the details on the Shmaltz Brewing Company and specific vintage brews you’ll have to check back tomorrow…

And to find Shmaltz Beer Tastings at a city near you, visit HE’BREW’s MySpace page.

Smitten Kitchen Kosher for Passover Recipes

Although today is the last official day of Passover, I had to leave you off with two MUST TRY PASSOVER RECIPES from Smitten Kitchen. I figure you could always use them for 2010, though they’re great for any occassion despite them being k for p. Enjoy!

Indian-Spiced Potato Fritters  (minus the Peas if you’re k for p)

 

Chocolate Caramel Crakers

 

 

Chewy Amaretti Cookies

Matzoh Pies, The Latest In New Israeli Food

Matzoh Pies… yes, I did say Matzoh Pies. Yesterday’s kugel is today’s pie according to well, me and probably Janna Gur author of “The Book of New Israeli Food” and the chef behind this immaculate Passover masterpiece.

It is possible that I tend to appreciate food more than others but I was taken aback by the beauty of this Mina del Pesach (Passover Matzoh Pie). Though this Passover Matzoh Pie is a variation of a Shepard’s Pie, it obviously took time to mold each piece of Matzoh to appear as if it were an actual pie. A work of genius, I’m telling you!

And I can assure you that Passover Matzoh Pie is not the only thing we’ll be seeing from Janna Gur.  In “New Israeli Food,” Gur discusses diverse Jewish cultures – Sephardic, Ashkenazic – and other influences that make up Israeli cooking today. Gur claims that most of the upscale restaurants in Israel are a mix between Israeli and Mediterannean cuisines, so why shouldn’t we be reflecting that blending here in America?

The Boston Globe article portrays Gur as an incredibly interesting woman and a true culinary innovator. I look forward to uncovering additional recipes in “The Book of New Israeli Food: A Culinary Journey” and trying out Gur’s Passover Matzoh Pie (with all of my leftover matzoh).

To replicate Gur’s Passover Matzoh Pie yourself visit the Boston Globe website here.

Where should I break Passover in NYC?

With Passover winding down, all I can think about is where I’m going to break it. I’m already dreaming of croissants and bagels so I figured I might stop dwelling on it if I put all of my energy into looking forward to the restaurant I choose for Thursday night, aka THE END OF PASSOVER!

                          

And what better way to break Passover with a nice pizza or a pasta eh? So, I’m obviously pretty set on Italian but I need some recommendations. So far my friends have come up with the following NYC restaurants:

Max
Supper
Frank’s
La Pizza Fresca Ristorante

We’re pretty impartial on location except for the UWS. So give me your best reco, please?

Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien vs Skinnygirl Bethenny Frankel

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Hungry Girl vs Skinnygirl, number two on the best-seller list vs number three; what’s the difference between these two books?

Though I’ve known of Skinnygirl because of Bethenny Frankel’s role on “The Real Housewives of New York”, today was the first time I’d heard about Hungry Girl via a Borders newsletter to promote her new book “200 under 200”. I did a little research on Lisa and found that she has a pretty good thing going. In the past four years she’s released two books, a resourceful website, and a fabulous brand. Needless to say, I’m impressed. With all of the cookbooks out there, she clearly “cut through” and made a name for herself.

             VS              

So back to Hungry Girl vs Skinnygirl… who are these women? In truth, they are just ordinary women, not nutritionists or doctors, but simply women who have always had a strong passion for food. Lisa Lillien considers herself a foodologist due to her long love affair with food. Bethenny Frankel is a natural food chef who believes everyone should have a healthy, balanced life. So, what is the common denominator between these two women… MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WEIGHT.

Both women have struggled with weight issues for most of their lives and the truth is, WHAT WOMAN HASN’T? So these two successful women are here to help those that might not have their weight in check. Both Lisa Lillien’s “200 Under 200” and Bethenny Frankel’s “Naturally Thin” teach you how to live a healthy lifestyle rather than put you on a diet which I believe is the best philosophy out there.

I hope you’ve found that recipes on my site also stem from this philosophy. And if you have any recommendations on how to make a recipe healthier without compromising its flavor, please feel free to email me at levine.jessica@gmail.com.

For additional dieting secrets you can meet Lisa Lillien aka “Hungry Girl” tonight at the NYC  Borders in Columbus Circle. Until then, enjoy some of Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien’s 200 recipes under 200 calories below:

Cold Sesame Noodles

Latkes

Carrot Cupcake

Jessica’s Matzoh Lasagna

Matzoh Lasagna is my go-to food when I’m just sick of eating typical Jew food like turkey, brisket, kugel, and sweet and sour meatballs. Don’t get me wrong, those Jewish delicacies are delicious but there’s only so much meat I can eat in a week. And, I’m not much a meat eater to begin with.

And since it was already Day 4 of Passover and found myself craving Lasagna and Mac and Cheese, I knew I needed to shake things up. And though I can’t really replicate mac and cheese right now (though they do sell k for p noodles), I figured I’d take my best shot at making the lasagna.

Truth be told, it’s not too tough. You get some cheese, sauce,  matzoh and POOF you have yourself a matzoh lasagna. But, if you want to get creative, then you consult an expert like myself. Well, maybe not an expert, but it’s known that I like to experiment in the kitchen.

Lasagna is one of those rare dishes that you really just can’t screw up. Unless you oversalt it or somehow dry out the noodles, or matzoh in this case, even the worst of cooks can produce a phenomenal end result. So go crazy! Throw in whatever you have lying around your kitchen and experiment.

Though the Matzoh Lasagna recipe below is fairly typical, I included frozen spinach to give the dish more texture and added a few Italian spices to enhance the flavor of the lasagna. You’ll find that this is both an easy and satisfying dish that truly isn’t too different from the original. It’s also a great way to finish off those family size packages of Matzoh!

Jessica’s Matzoh Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Matzoh Sheets
• 1 1/2 – 2 Cups K for P Pasta Sauce
• 1 8 oz Package Frozen Spinach
• 3/4 Container (12 oz) K for P Whipped Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
• 1/4 – 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 4 Pieces K for P Cheese (for top of matzoh lasagna)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 3/4 tsp salt
• a few turns of fresh ground pepper

PREPARATIONS

• Rinse the matzoh sheets under cold water and set aside stacked on a few paper towels. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Defrost the spinach and squeeze out all the additional liquid in a sieve.
• Mix the spinach, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, and last 6 ingredients (spices) until well combined (some people like to add an egg to bind the mixture together).
• Coat the bottom of a pan (large enough to hold the matzohs) with marinara sauce and place the first sheet of matzoh on top of the sauce
• Spread 1/3 of the ricotta and spinach mixture on top and then cover with another piece of matzoh.
• Repeat twice with the sauce, ricotta and spinach mixture, then matzoh process.
• Top the fourth and final sheet of matzoh with sauce and four pieces of k for p cheese (Meunster, Mozzarella, Gouda, crumbled Feta) and any additional herbs you may want to top it off with like basil or oregano.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until cheese bubbles.

Vegetarian/Vegan & Raw Foods Passover Seder

Although I’m not a vegetarian by any means, I have taken an interest in both the vegetarian/vegan and raw foods lifestyles. So to accommodate those who do not eat meat here are a few sites that will help adorn your Passover table.

The NYT Seder Hotline

Vegan Seder by Jill Richardson

Raw Passover Recipes

A Vegetarian Passover: Not So Scary After All

Chef Hung’s Herbed-Up Chicken with Spiced Aoli

Two weeks ago I attended a Passover demo by last season’s Top Chef Winner Chef Hung at Birthright’s JEC (Jewish Enrichment Center). The demo showcased Chef Hung’s ability to spice up a traditional Passover Seder with dishes like  Herbed-Up Chicken with Spiced Aoli.

I named this dish herbed-up chicken because as Emeril would say, Chef Hung “takes it up a notch” with the combination of lemongrass, rosemary, thyme, and curry. A lot of people are  immediately turned away by curry, despite that it’s only a mixture of spices that are commonly used such as corriander, cumin, tumeric, fennel, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic powder, and some other everday seasonings. I believe you’ll be pleasantly suprised by how the curry  enhances the flavor of this dish and will no be disappointed. So the lesson of the day is don’t be scared of curry!

Though Chef Hung refused to give us a finite recipe for this dish, because he doesn’t like chefs to be constricted by set ingredients, I jotted it down to share with all of you. I’ve written in some substitutions but feel free to experiment with whatever ingredients you might have on hand. As Chef Hung says, “If you don’t have lemon, use a lime.” And it’s really just as simple as that!

And although this dish was designed with Passover in mind, it can be served all year round. So you might want to think about adding in some peanut butter after the holiday has ended.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken

• 6 oz Chicken Breast cut in thin slices (can also use tenderloins)
• 1 tsp Curry
• 1 tablespoon fresh Garlic
• 1 tablespoons fresh Thyme (1/2 for dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary (1/2 for dried)
• 1 tablespoon Lemongrass
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice (optional)
• 2 tablespoons White Wine (optional)
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• Canola Oil (for frying)

Aoli

• 1/4 Cup Mayonaise
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice (or Orange also works)
• Curry
• Cayenne
• Chives (green onions or shallots)
• Salt & Pepper
• Add more lemon juice for a vinaigrette

PREPARATIONS

1.  Season the cut chicken breasts or tenderloins generously with the first five herbs and spices. Place in plastic bag along with wine, lemon juice and olive oil and let refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The chicken can marinate overnight as well.

2.  Pour 2 tablespoons of Canola Oil in sautee pan and heat until it sizzles. Then place 3-4 chicken pieces in the hot pan. Cook for approximately 3-4 minutes on each side, though cooking size depends on the size of your chicken pieces.

3.  While chicken cooks, whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry, cayenne, and chives until well blended.

4.  When chicken is finished cooking sprinkle with a bit of salt. Let chicken cool for about a minute and either skewer the tenderloins and serve as an appetizer or serve on top of mixed greens mixed with the spiced Aoli.

Passover Cooking at the Central Synagogue

A few weeks ago I attended a Passover cooking class at the Central Synagogue which was led by Chef Sindi Kaplan. Since the only Passover recipes I’ve made were macaroons and apple cake I decided it was time to expand my Passover horizons.

Sindi planned a tremendous class that involved each group cooking one of the recipes she provided and then enjoying them over an early Passover dinner. Unfortunately I was a bit too slow in the recipe choosing process and my group was tasked with making the Rhubarb and Carrot Tzimmes. Don’t get me wrong, Tzimmes are delicious, I just really had my eyes on the flourless chocolate cake!

Though I’d never made Tzimmes before, I’d certainly eaten the traditional pairing (carrots sweetened with honey, orange juice, and cinammon) many of times and figured that it would be a cinch to make. But after multiple Winkle Cocktails, which was another wonderful recipe Sindi provided us, my friend Justin and I seemed to have forgotten all about our boiling pot of Rhubarb and Carrot Tzimmes. Luckily Sindi was watching over us and made sure that our Tzimmes came out just right.

After everyone had finished making their respective dishes, we all gathered around the dinner table to enjoy our delicious  Passover-inspired meal. Thanks to the Central Synagogue and Sindi Kaplan, we were all able to learn a few new recipes just in time for the holiday!

For additional cooking classes led by Chef Sindi at the Central Synagogue you can visit the CenSyn Facebook Page.  Upcoming classes include:

• April 23 – Light Spring Fare
• May 21 – Entertaining
• June 18 – BBQ/Picnic

Hope to see some of you there! And please check out the fabulous WINKLE COCKTAIL below:

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Sage Leaves (or Mint)
• 3 Strawberries or Raspberries
• 3/4 oz Agave Nectar
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• Ice
• 2 oz Gin (or k for p Vodka)
• Cocktail Shaker

PREPARATIONS

1. Muddle sage, berries, agave nectar and lime juice in a cocktail shaker
2. Add ice and gin (k for p vodka)
3. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass
4. Garnish with a berry or sage leave
5. Devour!