Passover: Dan's Meringues

Passover is almost over and I still haven't baked everything I wanted to. It seems the Sephardi recipes took major priority in the house this year as I did not have any chance to make my Mother's recipes. Her specialities were cinnamon balls, coconut pyramids and almond macaroons. I have to admit though for some reason I could never get any of these recipes to taste as good as my Mother's.
Today, I'd like to share with you a recipe that my son, Dan, makes so perfectly. Suitable for passover or at any time. I had to ask his permission of course if I could share his recipe and I'm happy to say he agreed. Dan has become an astonishing chef in the kitchen. We first noticed his talents when he began to critise us on our cooking!

Makes 12

50g Chocolate

2 Eggs

100g Sugar

Heat oven to 110c

Line baking trays with greaseproof paper.

Break up the chocolate in to a bowl and place the bowl on top of a saucepan with boiling water. Chocolate must melt until smooth.

Seperate the egg whites from the yolks and place only the whites into a mixing bowl.

Whisk well until it begins to thicken, then add sugar and carry on whisking until firm enough to form peaks.

Drizzle chocolate over the egg mixture and stir around twice to make a marble effect.

Scoop up a tablespoon of mixture and scrape off with a teaspoon on to the baking trays.

Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Turn the oven off but do not take the meringues out, leave them in for a further 15 minutes.

Take out of oven and leave to cool.

Crispy on the outside, gooey marshmallow like on the inside

(You may wish to use slightly less sugar as they do turn out very sweet)

Passover: köfte de prasa / leek meatballs

Passover brings lots of questions for me. Why do we do this? Why do we do that? I am never satisfied with the answer of "because that's what we do". I was reading the ingredients on the side of the box of matzo and it said, wheat flour and water. I couldn't understand why then we are not allowed to use normal flour in recipes as it too is made from wheat flour. It took me a phone call to someone in Turkey to be able to have that answered.
Another thing I have learnt this passover thanks to one of Amir's friends is why leeks are used in Sephardi recipes during passover.
It's appearance resembles reeds which reminds us of the parting of the Red Sea.
Köfte (meatballs) are very much a signature dish in Turkey and I remember Amir's Mum roaring with laughter when I told her I had made et toplar. Yes, Turkish friends you will understand the misinterpretation I had made. Et means meat. Toplar means balls, so you would think meatballs would be et toplar, wouldn't you? No, they are called köfte.
These leek meatballs are so delicious, I really don't understand why we only ever make them during passover.

Based on making approx 16

7 or 8 large leeks = approx 750g when cut

150g Minced meat

1 egg

1 matzo

oil

salt & pepper to season

Discard the outer layer and cut the ends off the leeks, slice length ways twice and then slice into pieces.

Wash well and leave to drain.

Boil until soft

Tightly squeeze all the excess water out of the leeks and place in a bowl.

Soak the matzo with water until soft then squeeze out the  excess water and place in the bowl with the leeks

Add minced meat, egg and seasoning.

Knead mixture together with hands 

Take small handfuls, roll and pat down to make rounded oval shapes.

Pour oil in the bottom of a large frying pan and shallow fry the leek balls until golden brown.

These can be eaten warm or cold the next day.

You can also make the above using spinach. Your guideline is approx 750g of spinach to 150g minced meat. Use the same process as above by boiling the spinach and squeezing out the water.

köfte de prasa

together with köfte kon spinaka (spinach)

Passover: Houevos Haminados / Marbled eggs

Passover and Easter more often than not, fall at the same time of year. Apart from its seasonal similarity there is also one other thing that the two festivals have in common. Eggs. 
Whilst Amir & I have been busy preparing food for passover, Dan has been enjoying Easter activities at school. These activities are centred around eggs. There is an Easter egg hunt where they search for chocolate eggs wrapped in colourful tin foil, there's the egg decorating competition and the egg rolling competition. According to google research, the egg symbolises "life" for the Christians to remember the Resurrection of Jesus after he was crucified. Eggs in the Jewish tradition however, represent mourning.
When I was a child and Easter fell at the same time as passover, I wasn't allowed to eat my chocolate Easter eggs until passover had finished, so my Mum would store them away in a cupboard until I was able to eat them. If only I had the same will power now, as I did then.
Houevos Haminados is I believe Ladino for baked eggs. I call them marbled eggs as that is the effect given after they've been cooked. Each one is unique in design and they are always a talking point at our passover meal. These eggs are supposed to be baked for hours and hours in the oven but here is the quick version which is just as effective.

The secret of this recipe is onion peel. You will need as much as possible, so start collecting it months before or perhaps ask your supermarket if you can collect some in a bag. There isn't a measurement of quantity needed. I use handfuls and handfuls.

Eggs (based on 10 eggs)

Onion peel (mostly red but mix in some brown)

1 small teaspoon of black pepper

salt

2 large tablespoons of oil

Place the onion peel in a saucepan

Bury the eggs inside the peel 

Add the oil and the seasoning

Cover with water so the eggs are just peeking

Cook for the longest possible time you can until the water has almost gone.

Whilst cooking, the eggs should crack from the heat, this is how the eggs get their marble effect. If you see that the eggs haven't cracked and the water has reduced a lot then tap each egg very lightly with a spoon, put a little more water and carry on cooking.

Eggs placed in saucepan ready

to cook.

Water reduced, white eggs turn red.

Chocolate Easter eggs - Simply no will power left!