April 27, 2007

Fanouropita - St. Fanourios Cake from Greece עוגת חג יוונית, נהדרת

Yes ! another greek cake fresh from my kitchen.
















"Many greeks call upon st. Fanourios to help them find missing people or animals...his saint's day is celebrated on august 27...." . " The pie is made once a year, on the eve of Saint Fanourios name day, every 26th of August. The pie is brought to the church of Saint Fanourios, where the priest blesses it with a nice ceremony. After the Mass, the pies are cut and everybody is welcome to taste them." [ Saint Fanourios.org]. A simple to make, soft textured - moist cake.All fanouropita cakes doesn’t contain any dairy products or eggs ; I use less spices, so my cake here is not so dark as it should be ,but for the next time I'll add them all.you can use less sugar then 300 gr. ;I use molasses (there is no black treacle here in Israel..)and I can feel an 'after taste' of caramel here. [you can use a good greek honey instead of molasses or black treacle.] Here is another recipe for this easy cake, and here is a Fanourios Cake made with wine .. ;Fanourios cake can be made without any loss.

Fanouropita - St. Fanourios Cake from Greece /
Mediterranean Cuisine Greece -George Anastassakis recipe


500 ml (=2 cups) fresh orange juice
250 ml (=1 cup) virgin olive oil
300-350 gr superfine sugar
125 gr (=1/2 cup)molasses or black treacle
500 gr AP flour
1 ts. bicarbonate of soda
1/2 TB ground cloves
1/2 TB ground cinnamon
less then 1/4 ts nutmeg
175 gr raisins
85 gr crushed walnuts

28 cm round baking dish
H O WPrehaet the oven to 340f (170c).
Mix the orange juice+olive oil and sugar, whisk rapidly.
Add molasses and stir again.
Mix flour+b. soda, add to above mixture; keep whisking until all of the flour has been incororated.

sprinkle on the ground cloves ,cinnamon, a few scapings of nutmeg,and continue whisking.
Finally add the raisins and the walnuts to the cake batter,whisk for one more time.
Tip the mixture into the round non stick cake pan.
Bake for 40-50 minutes.

1/2 cup molasses ... מולסה

And now you can listen to Nana Mouskouri,a singer of Greek origin -It's - habanera- [on You Tube] from Carmen opéra [+Elena Obraztsova sings "Habanera" from Bizet's Carmen] ננה מושקורי שרה מתוך כרמן
Dios es makos beigli -fresh from the oven -walnut and poppy seed rolls from Hungary גלילות פרג ואגוזים הונגריות

 

April 24, 2007

Tahini cookies and more

A new Blog :
It's her first Blog-Baroness tapuzina writes:"..Most of this website will be about my food adventures, but I will also share the beauty of my country.
Israel is a country of contrasts. We have the mountains and forests in the North... "
She will show you her home that she loves.

A good place to eat in Haifa:
Hiam restaurant ,or better known here in Israel as "Nabila restaurant", is a lebanese restaurant in Tel Aviv st. in Haifa-just close to the Bahais garden [for Hebrew]. This arabic restaurant is famous here with a variety of Stuffed vegetables .The food is freshly made by the same family,the owners of this place for years.This photo is a small sample I've got from my son, yummy ! :-)

A food forum from Rumania :
English recipes were found in a Rumanian food forum ! ..yesterday I was looking for a special cake recipe in a rumanian food site,it is the culinar.ro site.My mom told me about a very special cake recipe she found there -it was few weeks ago, but the link could not be saved..so I coudn't find the cake recipe again :-( -- BUT the good thing is that I found there a very active food forum , with recipes, step by step pictures and much more, left is a recipe for butter knots from that forum . [please take a look at all those "Dulciuri"-for all the sweet things.. :-)]



















Tahini cookies
I was asked by Maria (here in the last comment) about the tahini cookies, I'm sorry for my late answer, but I wanted to bake the cookies , one more time today to understand what get wrong.the recipe is correct.
* I use 2 sets of measuring cups, one is for liquids,the other cups are for the flour, sugar...; This measuring cup measures:1 cup flour=140 gr flour. 1 cup sugar = 200 gr sugar.. so maybe there was a use of a bigger cup?
in the same sort of cup that you measure the flour, measure the 1/2 cup of the tahini.
* Please don't over bake these cookies, 15 minutes are the best, maybe 1 or 2 minutes more. they will not become golden or brown, and I think with more baking time , you'll get crumbles. The cookies bottoms will become brown after 15-17 minutes, at 325F.
* Leave the cookies in the baking dish to cool, for few minutes.[otherwise you'll ger crumbles]
* Today I've made the cookies smaller (above pic), so I've gut more than 80 cookies !! - they are small like buttons, so we call them buttons ...
Call these cookies as you whish just know they taste like halva and they're the most easy ever...:-)
The best halve in Israel - soon
חלווה, מאה אחוז של שומשום טהור.בימים האחרונים התארגנה קבוצת חברים מפורום האוכל של וואלה וסיירה במפעל החלווה שבנצרת. הועלו לרשת תמונות המתארות את תהליך הייצור המתחיל בשקי השומשום הכבירים ועד -קופסאות החלווה מגוונות הטעם הנודעות בטעמן המשובח.הסבר על תהליך הייצור ניתן לקרוא פה+ תמונות ניתן לראות שם בפורום.מכיון שקיבלתי חוות דעת משפחתית חיובית ביותר על טיב המוצר שאני לא טעמתי , ברצוני ליצור קשר עם המפעל המייצר ולברר לגבי נקודות מכירה בפריסה ארצית, שיהיה קרוב לבית. עידכון יגיע מקוה שבקרוב
אתרים שימושיים מאת ד"ר שמואל אבן-זהר

April 23, 2007

Israel Independence Day - Yom Ha'atzmaut 59 - new recipes לחמה בעג'ין

Israel Independence Day - Yom Ha'atzmaut 59 -
my special Bread for you: Lahmajoon(Lagh-Ma-Jun) bread
You can eat Lahmajoon bread as a snack, as a main dish, as a side dish, hot just when it cames out of your oven or warp and freeze some.. ;
Lahmajoon is a popular small pita or pizza bread topped with ground beef, like this recipe , eaten in the middle east .
This recipe was written by Haim Cohen in his cookbook: Haim Cohen is cooking (p.32) ,Haim Cohen is a well known chef in Isarel, and as I wrote in the past I like him very much (and my family too) .
This cheese and aubergine version is very special ,and I realy hope it will be your favorit from now ! The best and easy thing is to use your mixer, to knead the dough for 15 minutes ! 
let the dough proof for hours, slowly- 15 minutes of kneading, a slow rising will give you a soft and tasty pita  ;
For topping use feta cheese or bulgarian cheese as you whis, I use feta this time, only 1 aubergine is needed. choose a large and nice one.
Use a very large baking dish and a very hot oven, as the baking time is very short- 5 minutes at all.OK .. now comes the Lahmajoon recipe ! :-)
Lahmajoon (Lagh-Ma-Jun) with cheese and aubergine

Lahmajoon (Lagh-Ma-Jun)Israeli style-Small pita bread topped with feta/ Bulgarian cheese and aubergine/Haim Cohen's cookbook p.32 
makes :20 small pita bread
1 ts dry yeast (=3 gr) or 8 gr fresh yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 TB sugar (=35 gr)
550 - 650 gr AP flour
2 ts salt (=10 gr)
1 TB olive oil
300-350 ml lukewarm water (about 11/2-1 3/4 cups)
For topping
1 large aubergine
1/3 cup olive oil
200 gr feta or bulgarian cheese
For the dough:
1. Mix the yeast +1/2 ts of the sugar + 1/2 cup lukewarm water, let rise for 10 minutes.
2.In your mixer bowl mix: the yeast mixture+sugar, flour (550 gr) and salt .now add the oil and 300 ml of the water, and knead on low spead for 15 minutes. Add flour or water to get a smooth and soft dough.
3. Let the dough proof for 1- 11/2 hours , until doubled.
4. Once risen, punch the dough down,divide it into 20 ,and roll each one to a ball,let the balls rise for 30 minutes.(or for a night in your fridge)
Prehaet the oven to 500F( 250C) לאפות עם טורבו
For the topping: [can be made ahaed]
1. while the dough is rising cut the aubergine into small cubs (about 1cm), sprinkle with kosher salt and allow to rest for 25 minutes.
2. Wash and dry the aubergine cubs and fry them in 1/3 cup olive oil, until, soft and golden brown,cool.
Flatten the 20 balls and let them rest for 10 minutes. now ,put your empty baking dish in the oven for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, put the dough rounds on the hot baking dish, put some fried aubergine on top and crumbled cheese; Bake for 5 minutes (or until golden brown and done)in the hot oven, serve hot.. :-)




I have to thank Boxcar Kitchen site for this wonderful Pine-citrus biscotti recipe, one of the best and as we like.. not too sweet. not too hard, just perfect , even it's spring time here ! :-)
















Pine and citrus biscotti
/Boxcar Kitchen
1/2 cup salted butter - room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. lemon zest
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup pine nuts

H O W Preheat the oven to 350F (180C)
In a bowl cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Mix in lemon juice and zest.
In a cast iron skillet roast pine nuts until light brown.
In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingrediants to butter. Fold in pine nuts.
Grease and flour baking sheet. Divide dough in half and form two logs about 12" long.
Bake the logs once for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand for 5-7 minutes.
Cut the logs into 1" wide slices. Be sure to support the sides of the biscotti log with your hand for a clean cut.
Return the slices to the oven for 15-20 minutes for a second baking.

Full recipe is here *the oven tem. was added by me.

last year my mom gave me this Cookbook-one of the first cookbooks in Israel (1948-1958) !


Israel Defense Forces ranks by my brother, years ago

Old Israeli magazines
Israel Independence Day - Yom Ha'atzmaut 58התמונות הנ"ל אינן להפצה,כמו יתר התמונות והחומר המופיע בבלוג שלנו- תודה

last year post :

לחמה בעג'ין/חיים כהן מהספר חיים כהן מבשל, ע"מ 32

ל-20 פיצות אישיות בקוטר 12 ס"מ
לבצק
שמונה גרם שזה 1 כפית גדושה שמרים טריים
חצי כוס מים פושרים
שלושים וחמישה גרם שזה 2 כפות סוכר
חמש מאות וחמישים גרם קמח או יותר לפי הצורך
עשרה גרם שזה 2 כפיות מלח
כף שמן זית
שלוש מאות וחמישים מ"ל שזה 1 3/4 כוסות מים

לציפוי
חציל
מלח גס
שליש כוס שמן זית
מאתיים גרם גבינת פטה או בולגרית מפוררת
ההכנה

הבצק:ממיסים את השמרים בחצי כוס המים הפושרים ל- 10 דקות
מעבירים לקערת המיקסר, מוסיפים את הסוכר,הקמח והמלח ומערבבים
מוסיפים את השמן ואת המים בהדרגה,ולשים במהירות נמוכה, עם וו לישה, כ- 15 דקות, עד שנוצר בצק נוח לעבודה
מכסים את הקערה,במגבת לחה ומניחים בצד לכ- שעה וחצי, עד שהבצק נכפיל את נפחו
מוציאים את הבצק מהקערה למשטח העבודה וחובטים בו באגרוףכדי להוציא את האויר
מחלקים ל- 20 כדורים. מניחים את הכדורים בתבנית משומנת, מכסים במגבת לחה ומתפיחים שוב כ חצי שעה,אפשר גם במקרר למשך הלילה
הציפוי:חותכים את החציללקוביות בגודל 1 וחצי ס"מ. זורים עליהן מלח גס, ומניחים בצד ל- 25 דקות
שוטפים את הקוביות ומייבשים במגבות נייר
מחממים את השמן במחבת ומטגנים את הקוביות עד שיזהיבו
מספיגים אותן על מגבות נייר
מניחים כדור בצק על נשטח מקומח ומשטחים בידיים לעיגול לא מושלם בצורתו ולא בעוביו
ממשיכים כך עם שאר הכדורים
מניחים בצד ל - 10 דקות
מחממים את התנור לחום הגבוה ביותר (250 מעלות),כשהתבניות התנור בתוכו
יוצקים לתבניות החמות מעט שמןזית ומורחים אותו בתוכו בעזרת מברשת
מניחים את עיגולי הבצק בתבניות, מפזרים עליהן את קוביות החצילים ואת הגבינה, מכניסים לתנור ואופים 5 דקות
מגישים חם
מקור המתכון-חיים כהן
I was a sergeant (Israeli Air Force)
Chanita Harel© כל הזכויות שמורות על תכנים ותמונות שלנו התפרסם היום בבלוג האוכל של חניתה הראל ורן This content belongs to Chanita Harel at My Mom’s Recipes And More. All writing and photography copyright © 2005-2010 unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.http://momsrecipesandmore.blogspot.com

April 20, 2007

Greek Coconut and Semolina Syrup Cake

Greek Coconut and Semolina Syrup Cake
Greek Coconut Semolina Syrup Cake

250 soft butter
1 cup caster sugar (or sugar)
3 eggs
1 ts vanilla essence
1 cup semolina
3/4 cup (=60 gr) coconut
1 1/4 cups self-raising flour (or 1 1/4 cups flour+1 ts baking powder)
Lemon syrup
3/4 cup sugar (I use 1/2 cup)
1 cup water (I use 3/4 cup)
1 lemon,thinly sliced
23 or 24 springform tin lined with baking paper
1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C) full recipe - soon



------------------------------------ the baked cake..

New recipes and links: משהו מעניין לקרוא
* Cranberry Nut Orange Muffin recipe/The
prepared pantry
* The Acadian Feastby Ivy Knight /gremolata
* Orange Brownies
recipe /Leslie Beck עוגת תפוז שוקולד
* Chocolate Chip Biscotti
recipe /Leslie Beck ביסקוטי שוקולד

* Leslie Beck site: " healthful recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, snacks, main course dishes, side dishes, even desserts. "
* The
Orchids PPS file [ 2.5 MB pps file with music] מצגת סחלבים
מתכון:
לחמה בעג'ין/חיים כהן מהספר חיים כהן מבשל, ע"מ 32
* Hand-Rolled Couscous- Chef Mourad Lahlou of Aziza – San Francisco, CA / Star Chefs-- + * Croissants with Stewed Apples and Cultured Butter -Pastry Chef Shannon Swindle of Craft - Dallas, TX / Star Chefs
A recommended site : Crispy Waffle - Sheryl's site,she wrote: "more than just waffles (which are delicious, by the way)", look at her "Coconut caramel cream tart"- yummy!! .. פינת הפירגון : אתר האוכל של שריל שווה הצצה בהחלט, אני אהבתי
* another site to visit is the Boxcar Kitchen and the cookies are realy cool..[Christmas biscotti]
* A Review of Greek Pastries and Desserts and Greek Cuisine by Vefa Alexiadou. Two sample recipes from Smyrna.By Mary Papoutsy +more greek recipe +viva vefa 

April 19, 2007

Dolmades - Greek Stuffed grape leaves עלי גפן ממולאים

I love greek food, so visiting the market yesterday open my appetite to make greek stuffed grape leaves. the leaves were fresh but not homogenous, I asked for 200gr leaves, but I didn't know some are smaller..I think larger once are much better for stuffing. These are my first Dolmades,filled with rice and greens ,last year ran made them for us, not in the same way. I know my Dolmades aren't perfect because of one big mistake: you have to blanched the fresh leaves briefly in boiling water,and I ...just soaked them for 1 hour in hot water, so it was harder to roll them.. . Believe me: it was a short pleasure making this dish.I think most of us think making stuffed vegetables is a full time job.. for hours or for a day, ask ran.. but this dish is so easy and so quick so we can cook it more often , the right way of course.

 Dolmades - Greek Stuffed grape leaves
250gr fresh grape leaves or vine leaves in brine*
3/4 cup olive oil (or less)
2 large onions,finely chopped
3/4 cup short-grain rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsely(or dill )
2-3 TB chopped fresh mint
salt and pepper
water (about 1 1/2 cups)
juice from 1 lemon


1. wash the fresh grape leaves, rinse in cold water, then blanched them briefly in boiling water. If using leaves in brain, soak them in hot water 1 hour, drain. [my mistake:the water were not boiling ,so the leaves didn't get softer , and were still light green..* )
2. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a pan, add onions,cook over low heat 5 minutes; remove from heat, stand covered for 5 minutes
.
3.Add rice,herbs, salt and pepper to pan( you can add 6 spring onions chopped,I didn't add them)mix well.
4. Lay out a grape leaf,veine side up.place 3 ts of mixture onto center of leaf.fold sides over mixture, then roll towards tip of the leaf.repeat process with remaining filling and leaves.
5.Place 5 leaves over base of medium (or laege as I did..)pan; arrange rolled dolmades into pan in two layers; drizzle with remaining oil.
6. Place a plate on top of the dolmades; cover with water.bring to boil,reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
serve warm or cold.* This recipe is based on "step by step greek cooking" /here is another recipe:
Papou Marinakis' Dolmades -"Makes enough for the entire Greek army (more or less)"

ניסיתם פעם להכין עלי גפן ממולאים ? אם לא אני ממליצה, ההכנה מאוד כייפית ומאוד זריזה,המלית מורכבת מאורז, פטרוזיליה או שמיר, נענע מלח ופלפל.חשוב לחלוט זריז את עלי הגפן, .במידה והם טריים ולא משומרים, לימון ברוטב כמובן מוסיף המון, המתכון- למעלה - מומלץ בחום .ניסתם, אהבתם את המתכון? אתם מוזמנים לספר לי, לפרגן וגם להמליץ
cooking for 45 minutes

putting an old lid over the stuffed and rolled grape leaves

covering with olive oil,lemon juice and water

aranging the leaves


folding the grape leaves

the rice is uncooked at all

The stuffing :uncooked rice,onion,parsely,mint,salt and pepper

200gr fresh grape leaves העלים עלו לנו עשרה שקלים,לקילו זה עולה פחות

Chanita Harel© כל הזכויות שמורות על תכנים ותמונות שלנו התפרסם היום בבלוג האוכל של חניתה הראל ורן This content belongs to Chanita Harel at My Mom’s Recipes And More. All writing and photography copyright © 2005-2010 unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.http://momsrecipesandmore.blogspot.com

April 18, 2007

תמונות מהשוק 2007

Fresh from the market... טרי מהשוק











a few fresh rain drops.. טיפטוף של גשם היום ששטף את האובך והחול של אתמול



Chanita Harel© כל הזכויות שמורות על תכנים ותמונות שלנו התפרסם היום בבלוג האוכל של חניתה הראל ורן This content belongs to Chanita Harel at My Mom’s Recipes And More. All writing and photography copyright © 2005-2010 unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.http://momsrecipesandmore.blogspot.com
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