Zucchini Pashtida (Casserole)
Poly Amikam, whose son, the late Nadav Amikam, was killed on October 7, shares her zucchini pashtida (casserole) recipe in his memory. This recipe is part of the commemorative project “A Place at the Table.”
Shavuot
Syrian Rishta (Noodles with Lentils)
“When I was a child, rishta was a perfect solution for lunch on a blisteringly hot Shabbat afternoon at the end of summer. It was simply too hot to spend time in the kitchen, so my mother would whip up this simple dish”.
Shafoot (Cold Yogurt Soup Over Flatbread)
In Yemen, shafoot is traditionally prepared during Ramadan, and in Israel, some adopted it as a Shavuot dish
Alivenci (Romanian Cornmeal Cheesecake)
The word mălai, more familiar in Israel, simply means “cornmeal,” while alivenci is the name of the cake, which originates from Moldova, a region in northeastern Romania.
Marzipan-Filled Cigars
“Marzipan-filled cigars, fried and dipped in honey syrup, are an Algerian treat my grandmother Miray would make for Shavuot,” says chef Enav Azgouri.
Syrniki (Russian Cheese Pancakes)
“My parents used to make syrniki for breakfast on Shabbat, and the sweet-sour smell of the frying pancakes became a symbol of home and togetherness. Everyone in our family had their own favorite way of eating them”.
Phyllo Bundles With Feta, Honey, and Black Pepper
Enjoy Hila Alpert’s Shavuot recipe: creamy cheese wrapped in crispy phyllo with a touch of honey and black pepper.
Spanakopita (Savory Spinach Pie)
This traditional Greek spanakopita pie, made for sharing, brings generations together through delicious flavors and family memories.
Palascinta (Hungarian Passover Crepes)
This recipe for Hungarian palascinta or crepes is made kosher for Passover by swapping flour for matzah meal
Spring Wheat for a New Beginning
Is Shavuot a holiday that celebrates the wheat harvest or the giving of the Torah? Tova Dickstein, a researcher of ancient Israelite food, delves into the history of Shavuot, and explains how a holiday focused on wheat turned into a dairy feast.
Dunce Pie (Egg and Cheese Casserole)
This recipe from Hilda for egg and cheese casserole was nicknamed “dunce pie” in the family for its simplicity (so simple that anyone can make it).
Ice Box Cake with Lemon Ricotta Filling
No-bake biscuit cakes (also known as ice box cakes) are the epitome of Israeli “baking” — though there’s no actual baking involved. Instead, petit beurre (also known as tea biscuits) are softened in milk and layered in a baking dish with a creamy filling that’s typically made with whipped cream, gvina levana (a soft cheeseContinue reading “Ice Box Cake with Lemon Ricotta Filling”
Greek-Inspired Pashtida with Zucchini and Feta
Keren Agam’s Greek-inspired pashtida with zucchini and feta has a wonderful twist – a sesame seed topping that makes every bite crispy.
Zucchini Pashtida
Hillel Gardi’s easy recipe for a zucchini pashtida comes from his late beloved grandmother. Serve it with goat milk labneh, sumac and hyssop.
No Matter the Recipe, Pashtida Always Has a Story to Tell
For Shavuot, we asked five chefs and food writers to share a family or personal recipe for pashtida and the story behind it.
Bread Pashtida (Savory Bread Pudding)
In this recipe from chef Tomer Tal, yesterday’s bread is transformed into a pashtida that’s tender on the inside and crispy on the outside
Puff Pastry Quiche with Swiss Chard & Cheese
Recipe by Yael Dabby for Puff Pastry Quiche with Swiss Chard & Cheese. The crispy base of puff pastry, makes the preparation much easier.
Roasted Vegetable Pashtida with Challah Crumb Crust
Adeena Sussman’s wonderfully delicious cheese & roasted vegetable pashtida recipe also cleverly uses up leftover challah from Shabbat.
Burnished Cheesecake
This recipe from Shawn Peled borrows a bit from Basque-style cheesecake and is wonderfully creamy and rich.
Borekitas With Eggplant or Cheese Filling
This recipe from Levana Lowenstein for simpler borekitas with eggplant or with cheese for Shabbat breakfast or Shavuot.
Cottage Cheese and Noodles á la Cacio e Pepe
This recipe from Elyssa Heller, borrows from cacio e pepe, a classic Roman dish made with lots of freshly ground black pepper
Mujabbanāt (Flatbread and Cheese Layer Cake)
The recipe details a seven-layer pastry made of oven-dried or lightly fried flatbreads separated by a cheese filling flavored with mint and coriander seeds.
Ethiopian Honey Tart (Mare)
Inspired by a visit to his father’s village, chef and artist Elazar Tamano created this recipe for an Ethiopian honey tart.
Duba (Ethiopian Pumpkin Steak With Yellow Split Pea Purée)
This recipe for pumpkin steak atop yellow split peas, from chef Elazar Tamano, is a contemporary play on two Ethiopian classics.
Kurdish Kadeh and Zijik
Alon Hadar’s recipe for a stuffed bread filled with cheese that honors the tradition of eating dairy-laden dishes on Shavuot. The kadeh “was the queen on the table,” says Alon, served alongside a rich yogurt sauce called zijik that’s made with fresh purslane. This recipe, which adds spinach to the filling, is Alon’s riff on the kadeh his grandmother made.
Bourekas With Potato and Cheese Filling
Ziona Cohen’s recipe for bourekas stuffed with feta, rich yogurt, and potatoes for Shabbat.
Pasta With Black Beans, Yogurt, and Herbs
Pasta with lentils and beans, loaded with fresh cilantro and dill, and tossed with goat’s milk yogurt. Toped off with kashk, a fermented and dried yogurt that’s formed into a ball and grated like parmesan, which sourced from Tehran or Arab grocers in Israel.
Calsones (Cheese Ravioli)
In the spring, tables in Safed and Tiberias are set with calsones — pronounced caltzones — ravioli-like pockets stuffed with locally-made sheep’s milk cheese called tzfatit.
Cheese Blintzes
The pastry is a welcome addition to weekend brunch spreads and Shavuot tables alike.
Handrajo (Eggplant, Onion, and Tomato Pastry)
The pastry is a welcome addition to weekend brunch spreads and Shavuot tables alike.
Lali Salad with Cherries, Chili, and Cilantro
In Israel, this salad is a culinary icon made popular by Habasta, a restaurant tucked into Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market. Nicknamed the “Lali salad” the recipe originated with chef, food writer, and TV personality Hila Alpert.
Mákos Nudli (Sweet Hungarian Poppy Seed Pasta)
Julia Silverberg Nemeth’s mother mother never shared with her that she was Jewish — and a Holocaust survivor. Her recipes, like this one, left clues.
Sabra (Prickly Pear) Compote
Chilled fruit soups originate in Eastern Europe and they were especially popular in Israel during the austerity era. This is a modern take.
Black Coffee Bavarian Cream
“Our dessert is a classic Bavarian cream paired with a chocolate and black coffee sauce instead of the classic chocolate sauce”
Almond Bavarian Cream with Blood Orange Sauce
Chef Anat Neta-Kepten’s take on Bavarian cream is less sweet than traditional ones and lighter. She serves it with blood oranges and praline.
Bavarian Cream With Caramel & Meringue
Chef Gal Dotan of B12 restaurant in Tel Aviv adds caramel sauce for richness and meringue for crunch to his take on Bavarian cream.
Spiced Bavarian Cream With Almond Crumble
Ranam Barhom, the chef at Reshta Restaurant, adds cardamom and anise to this Bavarian cream recipe and swaps chocolate sauce for carob.
Honey & Citrus Bavarian Cream
Broitman’s interpretation of Bavarian cream includes local honey from Porat Farm in Ein Yahav and Pini Gorelik’s citron liqueur.
Lemon Geranium Bavarian Cream
Chef Ido Feiner and pastry chef Dana Malkes of Roberta Vinci add flavors from the restaurant’s backyard to this Bavarian cream recipe.
Cheese Sambusak
These savory pastries are part of an elaborate Iraqi Purim spread. Pair them with tea and date-filled cookies called b’ab’e b’tamer.
Bishbash Salad Over Labneh
This elevated bishbash salad is a colorful dish for winter that celebrates the season’s finest: cured olives, oranges, greens, and sumac.
Rice pudding
Having been a rare ingredient, Mastic has been substituted with cornstarch. However, it adds a unique aroma and so is worth tracking down and sourcing for this recipe.
Filo Triangles Stuffed with Kashta and Grapes
Kashta, the filling for these savory triangles, is a homemade version of ricotta cheese commonly used in pastries and desserts in Palestinian and other regional kitchens.
Eggplants in Tomatoes, Rivlin Style
Israel’s late first lady Nechama Rivlin learned this classic Sephardic recipe from the family of her husband, Israel’s 10th president, Reuven Rivlin.
Nechama Rivlin’s Towering Cheesecake
Written down over decades, Nechama Rivlin’s collection of recipes has over 50 cheesecake recipes. This one’s best made a day before serving.
Nechama Rivlin’s Salad
Coarsely chopped and liberally dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, this salad was a favorite of Israel’s late first lady Nechama Rivlin.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Lemon meringue pie, with its finely balanced sweet-sour flavor and creamy custard filling, was one of Nechama Rivlin’s favorite desserts.
Plum and Prune Crumble
Seasonal fruit baked with a crunchy crumb topping is the perfect dessert — particularly for new bakers and those short on time.
Burnt Lemon Spread
You can use this as a spread on toast or as a condiment alongside a meat dish or blue cheese, or alternatively in a marinade for baked white fish.
Lime Curd
Sweet and sour, this curd is perfect as a tart filling. The recipe is easily adaptable to other varieties of citrus.
Za’atar Potato Salad (Kartoffelsalat)
Chef Erez Komarovsky reinvents the yekke potato salad, using freshly-made mayonnaise, mustard, and fresh hyssop leaves in place of dill.
Freekeh Salad with Chicken and Roasted Apricots
In this new interpretation of the beloved tabbouleh salad from Muzna Bishara, the bulgur is replaced with local freekeh.
White Bean Masabacha
White bean masabacha, a regular feature of new Israeli cooking, is a captivating combination of Middle Eastern technique and Balkan flavors.
Leek and Cheese Quiche
Nechama Rivlin’s vegetarian (and kosher) adaptation of the classic French quiche Lorraine is a favorite of President Reuven Rivlin.
Buckwheat and Za’atar Mujadara
Chef Erez Komarovsky shakes off the dust from the buckwheat and prepares a dish inspired by the local and regional mujadara.