Italian Chanukah Jelly

December 28, 2012

Author: Tara Berger

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 pound or 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

Blackberry Jam or Nutella for filling

Vegetable oil, for frying

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil at 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar and vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the ricotta and beat until smooth. Add the flour and baking powder and beat just until blended. (if making ahead of time- take out of the fridge 10 minutes before cooking to get batter to room temp)

Using a very small ice cream scoop or 2 teaspoons, slide 8 walnut-sized rounds of batter into the hot oil. Fry over moderate heat until deep golden all over and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Balls should rise to the top as they puff up. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the balls to the cookie sheet to drain. Continue frying the remaining fritters in batches of 8.

Arrange the fritters on a platter- using a small melon baller scoop our top of ball- fill with jelly or nutella place ball back in and dust well with confectioners’ sugar.

Bubbie Esther’s Chanukah Lasagna

June 20, 2012

Author: Dina Mann

My Bubbie has a Chanukah party every year. She has five daughters, 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, so this is one of the few times when all of us get together and re-connect, as we usually see the whole gang only at family simchas, happy occasions. Every year Bubbie tries new things like Persian rices or Greek pies, but the lasagna is a staple that’s chocked full of veggies and sweet like my Bubbaloo!

Ingredients:

1 box of lasagna

1 container frozen spinach

1 zucchini

2 Carrots

1 large ricotta container

2 packs of shredded mozzarella

2 eggs

1 cup(s) sugar

salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

2 bottles of tomato sauce

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚.

2. Chop veggies and sauté in large pan and season with salt, pepper and garlic. ( Feel free to swap out these veggies for other such as summer squash, broccoli, peppers, onion…)

3. Bring water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until mildly cooked. I prefer a little al’ dente as the noodles continue to cook in the oven.

4. In a large bowl, mix ricotta, eggs, sugar and 1 and 1/3 bags of mozzarella. Reserve the remainder of the mozzarella.

5. When veggies are cooked add to cheese mixture.

6. Pour sauce on bottom pan, layer with noodles, add cheese/veggie layer, layer with noodles, add sauce, layer with noodles, add cheese/veggie layer and top off with reserved mozzarella.

7. Bake at 350˚ for an hour and half.

8. Enjoy!