Molly Goldberg Jewish Cookbook (29 page)

Wet a board with cold water. Pour the mixture onto it. Cool slightly. Shape between wet hands into 2-inch balls or squares.

note: This is an extremely rich dessert. It will keep for about 2 weeks.

Passover for me when I was a little girl was the happiest holiday of all the holidays. It meant new shoes that sang a song when I walked, a new hat and a new coat, but best of all it meant going to my grandfather and grandma's house, where all my aunts and uncles and cousins would gather together from near and far. My grandmother's table would have all the extra boards in it and would reach way out into the parlor. What happy memories. My Cousin Henry, my Aunt Jennie's youngest son, would ask my grandfather the four questions and he would explain the history of the Israelites delivered from Egypt,
^u
and thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying, it is because of that which the Lord did for me when I came forth out of Egypt."

Ml the stories of the hardships of the Israelites couldn't sadden me. I was happy. I loved the matzos, I loved the hard-boiled eggs,
gefilte
fish and matzo balls, and the

262

Holidays

tzimmes,
and I loved my grandparents, my relatives, and my cousins. But how long does it take to grow up? Not long enough. Now the
Seder
is in my house, and soon Til be the grandma and Jake'll be the grandpa. And my table will grow bigger, too, and need all the extension boards.

Passover, I think, will always be my happiest holiday, because no matter how old Til be, at Passover time Tm always the little girl at my grandma's house.

CHAROSETH

a ceremonial
                               
Vi
cup ground walnuts

passover preparation
                   
i apple, peeled and grated

3 tablespoons sweet wine
V4
teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Mix together the walnuts, apple, wine, and cinnamon until smooth. Form into a mound. A small amount of this is eaten with matzos.

PASSOVER MEAT BLINTZES

\Vi
cups ground cooked meat or poultry

3 tablespoons grated onion 2 egg yolks

}4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4
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^s

1 teaspoon salt

i?4 cups water

1 cup matzo cake meal

4 tablespoons shortening

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f
he Molly Goldberg Cookbook

Mix the meat, onion, egg yolks, and pepper until smooth- Correct seasoning. Set aside.

Beat the eggs and salt together. Add the water and mix. Add the cake meal, again mixing well.

Melt 1 teaspoon of the shortening in a 7-inch skillet. Pour 2 tablespoons of the batter into it, turning the pan quickly to cover the bottom. Fry until lightly browned on one side. Turn out onto a plate, browned side up. Stack the pancakes as they are finished, using additional shortening as required.

Place a tablespoon of the meat mixture on each pancake. Turn in the ends and roll up.

Melt the remaining shortening in a skillet and brown the
blintzes
in it.

PASSOVER RUSSELL BORSCHT (FERMENTED BEETS)

8 cups
russell
(see note p. 265)

2 cups water

3 beets, peeled and grated

2 onions, finely chopped

3 pounds beef (brisket or plate flank)

Beef bones

2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3
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g§
^s

Combine the
russell,
water, beets, onions, beef, and beef bones in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Skim the top. Cover and cook over medium heat for 2 hours. Add the salt, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook for 30 minutes. Correct seasoning, adding a little more sugar or lemon juice. Remove the bones and slice the meat.

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Gradually add 3 cups of the soup, beating constantly to prevent curdling.

264

Holidays

Serve with pieces of the meat in the soup, or serve the meat as a separate course.

note:
Russell,
fermented beet juice, is prepared by the following method. About 12 very large beets should be peeled and cut into quarters. Place them in a large pot or stone jug and fill with 5 quarts of water. Use a container that will permit the 5 quarts of water to come within an inch of the top. Put the top on the container at a very slight angle and cover with a thin cloth to keep out dust. After 10 days, remove the cover and skim the surface carefully; stir well and re-cover. The
russell
should be ready for use 2 to 3 weeks later. The liquid should be completely clear, bright red, and have a winelike aroma. If preferred,
russell
may be purchased in bottles.

MOLLY'S PASSOVER TABLE

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The Molly Goldberg Cookbook

PASSOVER POULTRY STUFFING

Vi
cup boiling water

6 matzos, crumbled

4 tablespoons shortening

2 onions, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped Liver and gizzard of poultry,

chopped 3 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 teaspoons salt
Yi
teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper 2 eggs, beaten

Pour the boiling water over the matzos. Soak for 5 minutes. Drain.

Melt the shortening in a skillet. Add the onions and celery. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the liver and gizzard. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the parsley, salt, pepper, eggs, and matzos. Mix well. Stuff the poultry and roast in the usual manner.

The amount specified is sufficient for a 5- to 6-pound chicken or duck. Double the proportions for a turkey.

PASSOVER HREMSLACH

DEEP-FAT-FRIED MATZOMEAL PANCAKES

1 cup matzo meal

2 tablespoons ground almonds 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

4
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^lks

1 cup boiling stock or boiling

water 4 egg whites Fat for deep frying

266

Holidays

Mix the matzo meal, almonds, salt, and sugar together. Add the egg yolks, mixing well. Gradually add the stock, beating constantly to prevent curdling.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold them into the matzo-meal mixture carefully.

Heat the fat to 370
⁰
. Drop the mixture in by the tablespoonful. Fry until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain well.

Serve with honey, jelly, or confectioners' sugar.

KNEIDLACH MIT FLAUMENT

dumplings and prunes
                   
\Yi
pounds unsweetened prunes,

presoaked and pitted 2 cups water
Va
cup sugar 1 lemon, sliced thin 4 egg yolks

4 tablespoons melted shortening
Y4
teaspoon salt 1 cup matzo meal 4
^e
gg whites
Vi
cup almonds

Combine the prunes, water, sugar, and lemon slices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Beat the egg yolks. Add the shortening, salt, and matzo meal. Mix well. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into the previous mixture. Between wet hands shape the mixture into l-inch balls. Press an almond into each. Arrange the balls in a greased baking dish. Pour the prunes and juice over them.

Bake uncovered in a 350
⁰
oven for 35 minutes. Serve as an accompaniment to main-course dishes.

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The Molly Goldberg Cookbook

PASSOVER CHEESE PIE

Vi
cup shortening 1V2 cups matzo meal 3 tablespoons sugar
Yi
teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon water

Cream the shortening. Add the matzo meal, sugar, and salt, mixing very well. Add the water gradually. Pat the mixture into a 10-inch pie plate. Now prepare the filling:

Vi
pound cream cheese

Vi
pound cottage cheese

3 egg yolks

Y<\
cup sugar

1 tablespoon potato starch

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

3 egg whites

Force the cream cheese and cottage cheese through a sieve. (This step may be omitted if an electric mixer is used for the later steps.) Beat the cheese mixture until fluffy. Add the egg yolks and sugar, beating until smooth. Add the potato starch, sour cream, and lemon rind. Mix well. Preheat oven to 350
⁰
.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold them into the cheese mixture carefully but thoroughly. Pour into the prepared pie plate.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife comes out clean.

268

Holidays

PASSOVER CHEESE PANCAKES

Vi
pound cream cheese

Vi
pound cottage cheese

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

\Vi
cups matzo meal

Vi
cup shortening

Beat the cream cheese and cottage cheese together until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs, salt, sugar, and i cup of the matzo meal. Mix well together. Form into pancakes and dip in the remaining matzo meal.

Heat half of the shortening in a skillet. Fry the pancakes in it until browned on both sides. Add more shortening as necessary.

Serve with sour cream and sugar if desired.

PASSOVER CRULLERS

% cup sugar
^l
A
cup water
Vi
teaspoon cinnamon

4
^e
gg
^s

V4
teaspoon salt

V2
cup matzo meal

Fat for deep frying

Combine the sugar, water, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until syrupy.

Beat the eggs and salt together until thick. Add the matzo meal, mixing well.

Heat the fat to 370
⁰
. Drop the batter into it by the teaspoonful. Fry until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes. Drain.

Serve hot. Pour the syrup over the crullers or dunk the crullers into the syrup.

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The Molly Goldberg Cookbook

MATZO-MEAL PANCAKES

4
^e
gg y°
^lks

Vi
cup cold water

Vi
teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons grated onion

\
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A
cups matzo meal

4
^e
gg whites, stiffly beaten

Vi
cup shortening