We began receiving e-mails and telephone calls in early January from family members and friends asking to be included in one of our annual Passover seders. We usually plan a month or two in advance, but this was unusual — although it did make us so happy to think that everyone is looking forward to sharing our seders.
We can seat about 25 in our dining room, and this year we started thinking about how we could accommodate a few more. The amount of food to prepare is never a problem, and we always have leftovers. In fact, for the last several years, we have invited friends for a third Passover dinner just to help consume the delicious food that is left.
Our menu is like the Ten Commandments, written in stone. First the seder plate preparation of the ceremonial foods, and the cold, salted, hard-cooked-egg soup. Then gefilte fish, chicken soup with matzah balls, and oven-roasted turkey with my mother’s vegetable stuffing (everyone’s favorite and always on the menu).
Most of our recipes date back to the family seders when we were growing up — or at least as we remember them. But, as my food-oriented husband and I have matured, we have become braver and more creative. We don’t discard the traditional family food choices, we just try to improve on them, and this year we are including a Matzah Farfel Kugel that an Israeli friend shared with me.
During the seders — the first one this year is April 3 — we have a tasting of foods that have been adopted from communities all over the world. The traditional Eastern European charoset we serve — a mixture of apples, walnuts and wine — has evolved to a tasting of charoset from other cultures. A family favorite, the spicy Yemenite Charoset mixture, is seasoned with cayenne pepper, and we have now added a new Contemporary Israeli Charoset — a combination of oranges, figs, raisins, almonds and wine.
There is always a variety of sweets following the meal, and this Passover, in the center of the dessert table, our guests will find a very light sponge cake flavored with fresh orange and lemon juices and topped with strawberries.
We serve red and white wines from several countries and always include a sweet Concord grape wine that once was a family tradition.
This year, to make the seder more enlightening for our additional guests, we will do more than read the haggadah; we will ask our guests to participate by sharing a personal Passover story or a current event that relates to the holiday. And by the time that’s over, we’ll all be ready to eat!
CONTEMPORARY ISRAELI CHAROSET
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup pitted, chopped dates
- 1/2 cup chopped dried figs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 whole orange, peel and sections
- 2 tablespoons Passover wine
- 2 tablespoons matzah meal
In a processor or blender, combine the almonds, raisins, dates, figs and cinnamon; process until coarsely chopped. Add the orange peel and orange sections; process briefly to combine. Transfer mixture to a glass bowl; gently fold in the wine and matzah meal. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes about 3 cups.
YEMENITE CHAROSET
- 1 cup pitted, chopped dates
- 1/2 cup chopped dried figs
- 1/3 cup sweet Passover wine
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch coriander
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons matzah meal
In a large bowl, combine dates, figs and wine. Add sesame seeds, ginger, coriander, cayenne and matzah meal; blend thoroughly. Shape into 1-inch balls or serve in a bowl.
Makes about 24 balls or 1 1/2 cups.
MATZAH FARFEL KUGEL
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1/4 cup ground nuts or matzah meal
- 4 cups matzah farfel
- Boiling water
- 1/2 cup unsalted margarine, cut in pieces
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup golden seedless raisins
- 1/2 cup diced apples
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon-sugar
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Brush an 8-inch-square baking dish with oil and sprinkle with ground nuts. Set aside.
Place farfel in a colander; pour boiling water over. Transfer farfel to a large bowl. Add margarine, egg yolks, raisins and apples. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix well. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks; fold into farfel mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into prepared baking dish; sprinkle top with cinnamon-sugar. Bake for about 45 minutes.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
PASSOVER ORANGE SPONGE CAKE
- 1/4 cup cooking oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup matzah cake meal
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- Grated peel of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- Fresh strawberries for garnish
Preheat oven to 325 F.
In large bowl of electric mixture, blend oil and 3/4 cup sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift together matzah cake meal, potato starch and salt; add to egg yolk mixture alternately with orange juice, lemon juice and grated peels.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and continue beating to stiff peaks; fold into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until cake is golden brown, springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted in it comes out dry. Remove cake from oven, immediately invert cake pan, and let cool completely. Loosen sides and center of cake with a sharp knife; unmold onto a cake plate. Just before serving, garnish with fresh strawberries.
Makes at least 12 servings.
