Here at The Chronicle we are thrilled by the response to our Passover recipe contest. Below are the second round of submissions we received by the March 8 deadline. We published the initial submissions in the March 4 issue and you can view all of the submissions individually on our Passover Recipe Contest page. You can vote for your favorite(s) by filling out the voting form or by emailing editor, Mike Sherry by March 21. The form has links to all of the recipes to read again before voting. Look for a profile of our top vote-getter in the March 25 issue.
Appetizers
Mushroom Pate
Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh sliced mushrooms (any variety)
- 1 small to medium onion finely chopped
- cloves of finely chopped garlic to taste
- 1 cup finely chopped unsalted raw walnuts (or more to taste)
- 1 tbs grapeseed oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Saute onions and garlic on medium heat in oil. Add fresh mushrooms and add a very small amount of water to the bottom of the pan as necessary to keep the mixture from sticking until the mushrooms start to wilt. Cover the pan for about 5 to 10 minutes after adding the mushrooms to start wilting so there is liquid to cook them thoroughly. Remove the lid and continue to cook the mixture on a simmer for approx 30 to 45 minutes until fully cooked and soft and liquid is boiled out.
Process cooked ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly blended and there are no large pieces of cooked food. Then add the chopped walnuts and process until mixture is combined and nuts are integrated. Add salt and pepper. Consistency should be very fine. The mixture will be very mushy before refrigeration.
Refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours before serving so that the ingredients chill and blend together to become firm. This can be served on matzah or Passover rolls or eaten as a side dish.
—Sandi Lerner
Main Dishes
Donna’s Matzah Spinach
Ingredients:
- 4-5 slices of matzah
- 3 10-oz frozen chopped spinach
- 6 oz grated parmesan cheese
- 1 lb farmers cheese (recommend Friendship farmers cheese, can substitute Jarlsberg or grated mozzarella or cheddar)
- 1 lb cottage cheese
- 1/2 lb feta (can substitute with grated hard cheese like muenster, swiss, gruyere)
- 4 eggs
- ½ tbs vegetable or canola oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Microwave frozen spinach on high until defrosted. Cool, then strain/squeeze out all liquid.
Mix 3 eggs, 4 oz of parmesan, all other cheeses together in a bowl. Add drained spinach and mix together.
Oil 13”x9” baking dish with 1/2 tbs vegetable oil.
Take matzah (1 slice and half of another slice) and dampen under running water, then put on bottom of casserole dish. Layer on half of the spinach-cheese-egg mixture.
Dampen another 1.5 slices of matzah and layer on top of filling. Add second half of filling. Dampen remaining matzah to cover filling. Mix remaining egg with a little oil for egg wash. Brush on top of the top layer of matzah. Sprinkle remaining 2 oz of parmesan on egg wash.
Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Lower oven to 350 degrees and bake another 30 minutes. After removing from oven, cut into squares. Serves 8-10.
—Lisa Rubin
Sweet Matzah Kugel
Ingredients:
- 6 matzahs, coarsely crumbled
- 4 eggs
- ¼ c. sugar
- 2 c. cottage cheese
- 1 c. sour cream
- 1/2 c. butter, melted
- ½ c. raisins (I like the Golden raisins)
- ¾ c. apricot preserves
Topping:
- 3/4 c. chopped pecans
- 2 tbs sugar
- 2 tbs brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbs butter, melted(additional from what is used in the kugel)
Directions:
Soak matzahs in cold water for 2 min. Squeeze out water. Beat eggs, add rest of ingredients except topping. Pour into 9X12 baking dish (spray with Pam first). Combine topping ingredients (except butter) and sprinkle over kugel. Pour melted butter over top.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 min.
—Marcia Rittmaster
Desserts
Passover Macaroons
Herschel Day School, Northridge, CA
Ingredients:
- 6 egg whites
- 1 c sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 4 c shredded coconut
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Mix all ingredients together by hand. Mixture should be thick and pasty. If liquid remains in bottom of the bowl, add more coconut
Drop by mounds onto Silpat or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes. 3 ½ - 4 dz, depending on size.
Drizzle tops or dip bottoms into melted chocolate, if desired.
—Gloria Sher
Passover Fudge Cakes
(Can make a month or two ahead if kept frozen. Makes 3 dozen)
Ingredients:
- 4 sticks butter (2 cups)
- 1½ cup cocoa
- 3 cups sugar
- 8 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups matzah cake flour
- 1 cop chopped walnuts
Directions:
(Tip: spray paper liners with vegetable coating for easy removal.)
Preheat oven to 300̊. Line muffin pans with baking cups. Mix cocoa, sugar and matzah flour.
Melt butter in microwave and dump into cocoa mixture. Stir in eggs and vanilla. When all ingredients are evenly moistened, add nuts.
Bake 30 min. until tester inserted in centers comes out sticky. Do not over-bake! Should be very moist, like fudge. Remove from muffin tins and cool. Keep frozen until day needed. Can leave papers on to serve. Optional: top with 1 tbs whipped cream and 1 maraschino cherry.
—Dawn Wolkenfeld
Passover Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup Passover oil
- juice of ½ lemon
- juice of ½ orange
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 ½ cups Passover cake meal
- 2 tbs potato starch
- 1 bag Passover chocolate chips
Directions:
Grease a rimmed baking sheet.
Beat 4 eggs well. Add sugar and beat. Add oil and juices and mix. Fold in cake meal, cinnamon and potato starch. Batter should be stiff and not runny. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden, approximately 40 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.
—Ruth Nowack
