Etty’s Persian Charoset. Photo by Penny De Los Santos.
Etty’s Persian Charoset. Photo by Penny De Los Santos.
Charoset recipes vary immensely both by region and from house to house. This version comes from journalist Allegra Ben-Amotz’s grandmother Ehteram (Etty) Barcohana who was born in Tehran. It balances four fruits including bananas, apples, pears and dates, with a slew of pistachios, walnuts, and pecans. It produces more than enough for a large Seder with leftovers for breakfast the next morning where it can be served on matzo or used to top plain or Greek yogurt. For a Mexican charoset, try this recipe.
Learn more about Allegra’s family story on the Jewish Food Society’s archive and find Passover recipes from around the world here.
Coarsely chop walnuts, pecans, pistachios and dates together (or pulse briefly in food processor).
Add pear, apple and banana and coarsely chop (or pulse, if using food processor), taking care not to turn into a puree.
Add apples and pears and reduce heat to very low, stirring constantly and making sure the mixture does not get too hot. During this time, the fruit will release water. Continue to stir until the water is completely reduced/evaporated about 45-60 minutes. It is important to watch closely and stir often to keep the sugar from burning.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.
