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

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.

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!

Sindi’s Flourless Chocolate Cake

What could be more satisfying than indulging in a flourless chocolate cake? This particular Flourless Chocolate Cake is phenomenal and it’s even K for P (kosher for Passover)!

Normally, store-bought Passover goods taste like chalk. I’m sorry but they just do. And then there are those sneaky cakes that say K for P, like the infamous Chocolate Meltaway Cake, and clearly aren’t which is just a mean trick to play on those of us observing this holiday. I thought there was just no way for a dessert to taste that good AND be K for P, until I learned of SINDI’s Flourless Chocolate Cake.

A few weeks ago I attended a Passover cooking class at the Central Synagogue which was led by Chef Sindi Kaplan, which is where I first laid eyes on her delectible flourless chocolate cake. Unfortunately I was a bit too slow in the recipe choosing process so I wasn’t able to bake the cake myself, but that certainly didn’t stop me from eating it!

Luckily, I have this fabulous recipe on hand and am able to share it with all of you. And since I’m a bit of a more simple dessert eater, I’ve eliminated the additional raspberry sauce and whipped cream topping and added some toasted hazelnuts to the recipe to give this already rich cake some more texture and crunch.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 eggs, cold
• 1 lb semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 -inch chunks
• 1/4 cup strong coffee or liquer (optional)
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

EQUIPMENT

• 8-inch springform pan
• Instant-read thermometer
• Medium sautee pan

PREPARATIONS

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. Set the pan on a wide sheet of heavy-duty foil and wrap the foil up the sides without tearing it. Set the pan in a larger baking pan or a roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
3. Preferably using a hand-held mixer beat the eggs at high-speed until the volume of the eggs doubles to about 1 quart, approximately 5 minutes. If you have to use a heavy-duty mixer, use the whisk attachment and speed 6 and beat to the same volume, which will take about the same amount of time. Melt the chocolate and butter, with coffee or liquer, if using, in a large heatproof bowl either set in a pan of barely simmering water or in the microwave on Medium (50%) power, stirring frequently for 4 to 6 minutes or until the mixutre is smooth and warm (about 115 degrees F). Lightly toast chopped hazelnuts in a medium un-greased sautee pan.
4. Fold one third of the egg foam into the chocolate mixture with a large rubber spatula until just a few streaks of egg are still visible. Fold in half of the remaining foam in the same way. Fold the remaining foam and toasted hazelnuts into the batter until completely incorporated.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared springform and smooth the surface. Set the roasting pan on the oven rack and pour enough boiling water into the pan to come about halfway up the side of the springform. Bake until the cake has risen slightly, the edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on the surface, and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway into the center of the cake registers 140 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the springform from the water bath and set on a wire rack. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow. Cake can be kept covered and refrigerated up to 4 days.

And if you’re looking for more K for P chocolate infused sweets…

 K for P Crumbs, order here!

 

Ina Garten Macaroons

 

 

Rocky Road Brownies