Our recipes just in time for Passover
Halva Macaroons ('Halvaroons')
Ingredients
• 1 ¾ cups shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3 Tbsp tahina paste
• ¼ packed cup halva - crumbled
• 2 ½ Tbsp sugar
• ½ Tbsp ginger
• ½ Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground green cardamom
• 2 egg whites - beaten to soft peaks
• ¼ tsp salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the beaten egg whites. Gently fold in the whites. Scoop small balls of the batter (about golf ball size) and place them evenly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake for 12 minutes, then let cool.
4. If using a professional convection oven like we have here at the shop, reduce the heat to 325°F and the baking time to 11 minutes.
Variations & Ideas
Before baking, try filling each halvaroon with a few chocolate chips as you would a stuffed meatball.
Matzo Brei
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 ½ square matzos, broken into 1-inch or smaller pieces
• 1 small apple or pear, peeled, cored and cut into small dice, or ½ cup canned pineapple chunks, cut small
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Place the broken matzos in a medium mixing bowl and pour over ¾ cup cold water. Let soak for a minute or two until the matzo softens. Drain off any excess water. Add the fruit, eggs, and salt and stir to combine.
2. Heat the butter in a 10-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, dump in the matzo mixture. Use the back of a spoon to smooth it out into an even, flat pancake to fill the pan. Let the matzo brei cook for about 5 minutes on the first site until it has turned an even, dark brown.
3. With a spatula, check to ensure the matzo brei is loose from the bottom of the pan. Invert a large, clean, rimless dinner plate (or a flat pot lid or the underside of a baking sheet) over the top of the pan and flip the whole thing over so that the matzo brei has transferred, cooked side up, onto the plate. (Quoting Julia Child, have the courage of your convictions.) Slide the matzo brei off the plate back into the pan and finish cooking the second side for about 3 or 4 minutes, or until set and browned. (Alternately, you can use a spatula to divide the giant pancake into quarters and flip each quarter individually.)
4. While the second side is cooking, sprinkle the entire surface of the matzo brei with the cinnamon sugar. When done, slide out onto a clean plate and serve hot.
Looking forward to all this and more. Want to reach us? Email amit@gcibyjnf.com with your comments and questions.