Biscochos are often called tea biscuits. We think of them as a “biscotti”, a crunchy treat! Biscochos are a bit sweet and are wonderful with your morning coffee (could be afternoon or evening coffee or tea or even milk, for that matter!!) If you’ve been to my mom’s home or to mine (or to our synagogue)you’ve had one of my mom’s Biscochos!
Ingredients for My Mom’s Biscochos
1 C eggs
1 C sugar
3/4 C oil
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
4 – 7 C flour (according to feel of dough;looking for a soft, not sticky dough)
Topping:
1 egg + 1 drop of water, beaten well
sesame seeds
(alternative to sesame seeds: cinnamon and sugar or “sprinkles”)
These are my mom’s directions:
With electric mixer, beat eggs and oil in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until well blended. Add flour and baking powder gradually (start with 3 C into the mixer….). Remove from Bowl when it begins to pull away from sides of bowl. Continue to add additional flour if necessary and knead into a medium dough until no longer sticky.
Place onto floured work area and finish kneading dough with additional flour as needed. Dough should not be sticky as long as you can handle it without it sticking to your hands.
Take walnut-sized pieces and roll down on table with palms of hands into a rope 5 inches long and only 1/2 inch thick.
Press down with fingers to create channel;
Fold rope over and cut slits into the edge.
Join into a bracelet shape. Brush egg on top side.
Dip top side into chosen topping ( sesame, cinnamon sugar or sprinkles):
Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 12 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from pan.
Stack vertically on baking sheet and return to oven at 200 degree for one hour to ‘biscochar.’ (Make crispy) Set your timer and remove from oven after an hour.
After Pesah….Time for baking! Here is my mom’s recipe for making Biscochos! (you asked ….here it is!) Biscochos are often called tea biscuits. We think of them as a “biscotti”, a crunchy treat! Biscochos are a bit sweet and are wonderful with your morning coffee (could be afternoon or evening coffee or tea or even milk, for that matter!!) If you’ve been to our home, my mom’s house, our synagogue, you’ve had my mom’s Biscochos. They are ‘twice baked,’ which gives them that extra crunch. A very special part of our cultural repertoire.
They’re made with love – that, you can definitely taste it!
Here’s the recipe. My mother takes great pleasure in sharing her recipes and techniques and having her ‘students’ excel on their baking journey. Give them a try! And let us know how you’re enjoying them!
Ingredients:
1 Cup eggs
1 C sugar
3/4 C oil
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
5 – 7 C flour
Topping:
1 egg + 1 drop of water, beaten well
sesame seeds
(alternative to sesame seeds: cinnamon and sugar or “sprinkles”)
These are my mom’s directions:
With electric mixer, beat eggs and oil in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until well blended. Add flour and baking powder gradually, knead into a medium dough until no longer sticky.
*The ‘Cup’ method of method of measuring eggs is important. Eggs come in different sizes – Medium, Large, Jumbo. By measuring by the Cup, one is more likely to get a more uniform measure. It makes a significant enough difference. Get as close to 1 Cup as possible.
Place onto floured work area and finish kneading dough with additional flour as needed. Dough should not be sticky as long as you can handle it without it sticking to your hands.
Take walnut-sized pieces and roll down on table with palms of hands into a rope about 5 inches long and only 1/2 inch thick.
Press down with fingers to create channel;
Fold rope over and cut slits into the edge.
Join into a bracelet shape. Brush egg on top side.
Dip top side into sesame seeds. (or sprinkles)
If using cinnamon/sugar on top, no egg wash needed.
Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 12 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from pan. Allow to cool.
After they are cooled, return to oven at 200 degrees for one hour. This is where they get that extra crunch – the all important ‘biscucharing’ process.
Now……time to sit down with a cup of coffee and a Biscocho and relax!
This Sunday our family will gather at Venice Beach for our yearly ‘Lavar La Cara,’ (literally ‘wash the face) at the ocean. Our tradition combines elements of ‘Tashlich’ from the Hebrew “to cast off,” referring to the custom of tossing bits of bread in the water to symbolize the casting off of our sins. The second element is a healing ritual of the Rhodeslis — those who trace roots to the island of Rhodes, tossing ailments, fears, concerns into the ocean and receiving renewed health and blessings from HaShem along with the blessings and love from our elders.
Over the generations, our family tradition had been to go to the beach on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. Now that we live in disparate parts of Los Angeles, have differing synagogue schedules and levels of observance, our extended families (about 40+ of us, spanning five generations – Mashala🧿) come from throughout the greater Los Angeles area and meet at Venice Beach on the Sunday morning between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, bringing our beach chairs and enjoying some time together after our ritual by the shore. It truly has become one of the most treasured traditions of all generations.
Once we set ourselves up, we go down to the water, usually in smaller family groups. A family matriarch, one by one, blesses us and washes our faces. Bending down to capture a handful of water from a new wave, she washes the face of each of us, saying in Ladino, “todo mal ki se vaiga” (“everything bad should go”). She elaborates: “Everything that is bothering you, worrying you, anything that is harming you, any sickness, illness, any fright or discomfort, all this, should be swept away to the very depths of the ocean.” She then bends down to scoop a fresh handful of water from a new wave. Washing our face and the back of our neck again, this time saying “todo bien ki se venga” (“everything good should come”). Again, she elaborates, “Everything now will be good, your pain will go away, any illness will leave your body, healing will come to you. Every worry is now gone. New ideas and good thoughts will fill your mind. Your heart will be content.”
To each, now, she gives a specialized blessings for the New Year. To children she might offer that they will do well in school, be happy, have good friends, make their parents proud or have a good year in sports, theater, Hebrew school; whatever is appropriate to that child. To the young adults, she might offer that they find a good jobs or career and that they find the right person to share their lives with. Newlyweds are blessed to be happy, build a Jewish home and life together, have children, build a life of meaning and keep our traditions. After the individual blessings, the matriarch gives each of us a finger full of sugar, which she puts in our mouths for a “sweet” year. (Traditionally the sugar is from the Rosh Hashanah table. After we use sugar for our Hamotzi prayer on this holiday, the remaining sugar goes into a baggie and comes with us to the beach.)
There are variations. Sometimes we invoke the names of the Patriarchs, “Con el hombre del Dio di Avram, Izhak, Yaacov, Rey David i Shelomo,” as well as the Matriarchs, “Rivka, Sarah, Rachel, i Leah.”
On occasion we add a new tradition, like dancing along the shore. New traditions are always welcome!
Blessings complete, we return to our beach chairs, sit for a nice ‘vijita’ (visit) and enjoy coffee, juice, bagels, borekas (Sephardic cheese and rice or potato pastries), biscochos (tea cookies), spinach quashado (soufflé), assorted cheeses with olive oil (usually feta and ricotta), homemade breads (rosca), fruits and dessert pastries. We stay and visit, feeling renewed, and certainly feeling a great deal of love from and for our family. It’s a New Year. The Day of Atonement is coming soon. We are ready to face it with a humble heart, renewed spirit and a refreshed outlook.
A Sephardic Rosh Hashanah ceremony combines elements of Tashlich and a healing ritual.
With joy we share our family tradition of “Lavar la Cara” (washing our faces in the ocean). It seems that this tradition combines many elements of two ceremonies. The first is “Tashlich” from the Hebrew “to cast off,” referring to the custom of tossing bits of bread in the water to symbolize the casting off of our sins. The second is a healing ritual of the Rhodeslis — those who trace roots to the island of Rhodes, tossing ailments into the ocean and receiving renewed health from the ocean, HaShem and the incantations and blessings of our elders.
Over the generations, our family tradition had been to go to the beach on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. Now that we live in disparate parts of Los Angeles, have differing synagogue schedules and levels of observance, our extended families (about 40 of us) come from throughout the greater Los Angeles area and meet at Venice Beach on the Sunday morning between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, bringing our beach chairs and something to share at our informal brunch that follows.
Once set up, we go down to the water, usually in smaller family groups. A family matriarch, one by one, blesses us and washes our faces. Bending down to capture a handful of water from a new wave, she washes the face of each of us, saying in Ladino, “todo mal ki se vaiga” (“everything bad should go”). She elaborates: “Everything that is bothering you, worrying you, anything that is harming you, any sickness, illness, any fright or discomfort, all this, should be swept away to the very depths of the ocean.” She then bends down to scoop a fresh handful of water from a new wave. Washing our face and the back of our neck again, this time saying “todo bien ki se venga” (“everything good should come”). Again, she elaborates, “Everything now will be good, your pain will go away, any illness will leave your body, healing will come to you. Every worry is now gone. New ideas and good thoughts will fill your mind. Your heart will be content.”
To each, now, she gives a specialized blessings for the New Year. To children she might offer that they will do well in school, be happy, enjoy their friends, make their parents proud or have a good year in sports, theater, Hebrew school; whatever is appropriate to that child. To the young adults, she might offer that they will do well in school, find jobs or the right person to share their lives with. Newlyweds are blessed to find happiness together, build a home and life together, have children. After the individual blessings, the matriarch gives each of us a finger full of sugar, which she puts in our mouths for a “sweet” year. This is no regular sugar; the sugar is from the Rosh Hashanah table. After we use sugar for our Hamotzi prayer on this holiday, the remaining sugar goes into a baggie and comes with us to the beach.
There are variations. Sometimes we invoke the names of the Patriarchs, “Con el hombre del Dio di Avram, Izhak, Yaacov, Rey David i Shelomo,” as well as the Matriarchs, “Rivka, Sarah, Rachel, i Leah.”
On occasion we add a new tradition, like dancing along the shore. New traditions are always welcome!
Blessings complete, we return to our beach chairs, sit for a nice ‘vijita’ (visit) and enjoy coffee, juice, bagels, borekas (Sephardic cheese and rice or potato pastries), biscochos (tea cookies), spinach quashado (soufflé), assorted cheeses with olive oil (usually feta and ricotta), homemade breads (rosca), fruits and dessert pastries. We stay and visit, feeling renewed, and certainly feeling a great deal of love from and for our family. It’s a New Year. The Day of Atonement is coming soon. We are ready to face it with a humble heart, renewed spirit and a refreshed outlook.
“Masapan”……marzipan….that delicious sweet that our mothers lovingly make for engagements, weddings, a brit milan or a Bar (and today even a Bat) Mitzvah. Basically a homemade almond confection made with ground almonds and sugar, Marzipan traces it’s origin to …..well….that depends. Some say the Persian empire, introduced to Europe by the Turks; others claim the origin to be Spain. In any case, it got to us, was a delicacy on our beloved Island of Rhodes, and our grandmothers brought it here with them when they came to these shores.
While some in Eastern Europe talk of marzipan being colored and fashioned into miniature fruit-like shapes, our variation is kept in it’s white, pure state, made into a simple design – A very special variety is shaped into a ‘pastelico’ like cup and filled with rosewater or orange blossom scented ‘shroupe’, capped and artfully edged….a treat for the senses!
My mother, Kaye Hasson Israel, uses a recipe shared with her by Rebecca Levy. I watched her make it last week. Here is the recipe and photos. This recipe makes about 125 pieces of masapan.
6 C almonds
3 C sugar
4 C water
Start with raw almonds. To blanche, bring a pot of water to a boil. ( enough water to cover the almonds). When water boils, add almonds and leave them in for 4 to 5 minutes (until skin is loose).
Rinse in a colander with cold water. Remove the skins from the almonds and place almonds into a bowl of cold water ( to prevent discoloration).
Take a clean towel and dry almonds thoroughly.
Put almonds into food processor with blade.
Grind to a fine texture.
In the meantime, mix sugar and water and heat over medium/high flame. Make sure sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. This is to make a sticky syrup. Stir and watch carefully so it does not discolor or burn. Test for correct stickiness by removing spoon from pot, allow it to cool a bit, placing a drop on your fingers and noting a ‘thread’ of sugar when pressing then pulling apart finger and thumb.
At this point, lower the heat and add ground almonds. Thoroughly blend and constantly stir mixture. Cook and stir masapan until it reaches a dough-like consistency. ( it will cleanly leave the sides and bottom of the pan). Remove from heat and allow to thoroughly cool
Once cooled, knead on your rolling surface to create a smooth dough. Pinch off small portions and roll into a long strip. (Perhaps cut into 10 – 12 portions before rolling).
Keep a bowl of water handy. Dampen your rolling surface and hands, as it will make it easier to roll out. Cut at an angle into diamond shaped pieces.
Our tradition has been to top with a decorative silver ball ( dragees ). These are for decoration and not to be consumed.
For engagements, our tradition has been to make a “mano” (hand) fashioned out of masapan, with silver dragees across the ring finger. This is fashioned on a tray, surrounded by cut pieces of masapan, jordan almonds and often, a gold leafed piece of ‘aruda’ ( the rue plant).
Like all our delicacies, masapan takes a bit of practice. And the results are divine! Enjoy for your special celebrations…and for a special Passover treat!
Hanukkah begins this coming Thursday evening. This is certainly a different year than what we’re used to. Here in Southern California we are going on lock-down again tonight – mandatory ‘stay at home’ orders, many more businesses closed, and we are being asked to not engage or interact with others who are not part of our own households. So much for holiday celebrations!!
As difficult as the social isolation has been and the tremendous strain on families unable to work, go to school and do so much of what we are used to doing, we are thankful for health, the incredible efforts of our medical personnel, emergency and city infrastructure employees who keep our cities functioning, the essential workers who make sure we can get what we need for ourselves and others, and friends, community leaders and clergy who have moved our communal life online and are doing what they can to keep us connected to one another.
It’s been a difficult year. Had anyone told us last year at this time that our entire way of life would be upended and the health of the entire world would be in peril…..we would have been incredulous. And now, after this tumultuous time, perhaps a vaccine is in sight. Perhaps there is a chance that we can leave our homes again soon and be together. Perhaps…..
This is, after all, the season of miracles.
Hanukkah celebrates the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish victory over the Greeks in 165 BCE. The true miracle is that the Jews prevailed, the few against the many – and our Torah, our values and our essence of being as a people has survived, and BeH, will continue to not only survive but thrive, forever.
A favorite story is the Miracle of the Oil. The Jews went to reclaim and restore the Temple in Jerusalem after it had been defiled and left in ruins by the Greeks. There was only enough oil left to rekindle the candelabra for one day, though it was to burn throughout the night each and every night. It would be several days before more oil could be obtained. By virtue of a Miracle, the oil burned for 8 days and nights, until more oil became available.
To commemorate the Miracle, we prepare foods cooked in oil for the holiday of Hanukkah. Favorites are latkes (potato pancakes), sufganiyot (filled donuts), and in our family, burmuelos (fried dough).
Growing up, I had never had latkes. Our Hannukah treat was always burmuelos – light, fried dough pillows bathed in a light, sweet syrup that is absolutely divine! (often compared to a New Orleans’ beignet, or a Greek loukoumades)
Made from a yeast dough, it takes some time for the dough to rise and be ready to fry. My mom will make the dough ahead of time and after dinner, drop the dough by spoonfuls into hot oil, watch them puff and turn a golden brown as she prepares the honey syrup. Once the burmuelos are ready, she will bathe them in syrup and we’ll eat them, warm and fresh! Divine, indeed!
Below is the recipe. Give them a try…..and enjoy!
My Mom uses the recipe from the cookbook, “Comé Con Gana,” compiled by the Sisterhood of Congregation Or Ve Shalom in Atlanta, GA.
1 tsp yeast 1/2 C and 1 1/2 C warm water pinch of salt 3 C flour 1 egg oil (for frying)
Soften yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. In mixing bowl add dry ingredients. Add yeast mixture, egg and remaining warm water. MIx well. Allow to rise in covered bowl in warm place for 2 hours.
Fill a quart pot with 3 inches of cooking oil. Allow to get very hot.
Drop a teaspoon of soft dough into the hot oil. Then another…… continue.
Remove with slotted spoon when golden brown. Bathe in syrup.
Syrup
1 C sugar 3 Tblsps honey 1/2 C water
Boil together until sticky. Pour over burmuelos.
The Pandemic will end, BeH. Gam Zeh Ya’avor……This, too, shall pass. May we all be together with our families and friends soon, celebrating the many incredible moments of life. Let’s plan on it!!
The High Holy Days are right around the corner. Why is this year different from all other years? (sounds like words from another holiday!!)
This year, many of us are still staying ‘Safe at Home’ and will not be going to synagogue or gathering with our extended families. Not the holiday experience we are used to!
Our traditional Rosh Hashana Seder will take on new meaning. If you’ve never done this before, this might be a good year to give it a try. Share the idea with friends. A new year – new tradition – new meaning for our holiday.
One of the rich and unique traditions of our Sephardic families is a Rosh Hashana Seder. It is a short service we conduct around our tables with the Rosh Hashana evening meal, with some families doing it on both nights. Including the traditional blessings done at the holiday meal table (Kiddush, Blessing of the Children, Washing of the Hands, HaMotzi), blessings are also said over symbolic foods, expressing our hopes and wishes for the year ahead. Most of the foods used are those whose names in Hebrew sound similar to one of the wishes expressed, so there is some fun associated with this!
Although primarily a Sephardic tradition, many others have begun adding the Seder to their Rosh Hashana celebrations. My father remembers the “ratzones” from his childhood in Seattle…we began sharing the tradition with our children and friends within the past decades. Rabbi Yitz Greenberg suggests that each family add some blessings of our own, adding to our family traditions, adding puns we create around foods we include, which we have done from time to time. One of our Rebbetzins, Penina Schochet, suggested that we select a new fruit each year, having our young children be part of the process, and say a “shehecheyanu” over the addition of the new fruit, as a way to further grace our Rosh Hashanah table and include our children in selecting and trying something new.
Some families refer to this “service” as the “Yehi Ratzones”, referring to the words used “May it be Your will …” as referencing the symbolism that is to be recited. Often one hears the words “simanim”, referring to the ‘symbolic’ foods used. I will note some of the foods we eat and the translation of the blessings we say, primarily based on the materials prepared and provided by Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel (STTI) in Westwood, California, as well as materials prepared by the Maimon Family in Seattle, Washington.
My good friend, Linda Sendowski, has some wonderful recipes for Rosh Hashana foods, specifically these symbolic foods on her blog The Boreka Diary which I share with you. Also, the Rosh Hashana table of the delightful Stella Hanan Cohen was recently featured in the South African Jewish Review(Pages 14-16.) Finally, one of my favorite cooks, Debby Segura, offer these ideas for the holiday meal. (my favorite is her Simanim Salad, incorporating most of the Seder elements in one dish). Check these out…and consider including some of these ideas and blessings at your Rosh Hashanah table this year.
For our Seder, we prepare a plate on the table that holds some of each symbolic food, and a prepared page for all our guests, including the blessings we will recite for the evening so all can participate. We include the Hebrew and English, and some years, the Ladino. Adapt as is comfortable for your household. We start with the Kiddush, the Shehecheyanu, Birkat Yeladim (Blessing of the Children), Washing the Hands, and the Hamotzi.
Following that, we recite a few blessings with intended good for the New Year, over some symbolic foods. The foods we use are usually plentiful during this season. Their Hebrew names, shades or colors remind us of our hopes and dreams for the year ahead. It is noted that “foods provide us an occasion to wish away our fears and verbalize our deepest hopes, as well as a chance to pun on their names in a number of local tongues”. (Source: Noam Zion in his paper Seder Rosh Hashanah)
1. Apples dipped in sugar or honey; apple cooked in sugar or honey; or candied apples:
Yehi Ratzon May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, to renew upon us a good and sweet year, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.
Baruch Ata Adonai Elohenu Melech Haolam Bore Peri Haetz.
2. Leeks (karti):
Yehi Ratzon May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, that our enemies be cut off, as well as those who desire to do us harm.
(this is based on the wordplay between the Hebrew word for leek, “karti”, which is similar to the word “korat”, meaning “to cut off”)
3. Beets or Spinach (“silka” is usually identified as beets; Keter Shem Tov says it refers to spinach):
Yehi Ratzon May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, that our enemies disappear, as well as those who desire to do us harm.
4. Dates:
Yehi Ratzon May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, that our enemies be consumed as well as those who desire to harm us.
(this is based on the wordplay between the Hebrew for dates, “tamar”, which is similar to a word meaning to “end” or “consume”)
5. Pumpkin or gourd (zucchini or squash; “kalavasa” is often used) (my cousin Sarita makes Fila Triangles with a Pumpkin Filling):
Yehi Ratzon May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, that you should tear up any evil decrees against us and let our merits be read before you.
(this is based in the wordplay between the Aramaic word for pumpkin or gourd, “kara”, and the Hebrew word meaning to “tear”)
6. Fish (pishkado) (a friend whose family doesn’t eat fish, uses the Kosher Jelly Fish Candies for this one):
Yehi Ratzon May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, that our merits may multiply as the fish in the sea. Others have commented that as fish is a symbol of abundance and fertility, we ask God to Bless us with both.
7. “Ruviah”, often identified as Fenugreek, although sometimes referred to as black eyed peas or string beans. It is told that in Bagdad, it was referred to as “luviah”. Since it was similar to the Hebrew word “lev”, meaning heart, the word “ut-labevenu” (meaning “and purify us”) was added. (Linda Sendowski has a great recipe for Black Eyed Peas!)
Yehi Ratzon May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, that our merits increase and that you purify us.
8. Pomegranates (Use the seeds in your cooking or in a salad)
Yehi Ratzon May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, that our merits increase as the seeds of the pomegranate.
9. Head of Fish (something from the head….in our family, my Aunt Belina Hasson used to make tongue (I cannot get myself to even buy a tongue, let alone figure out how to cook it….so, since this is based on puns, we use a “head” of lettuce, some use a “head’ of garlic):
Yehi Ratzon May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, that we may be in the forefront as the head, and not the background, as the tail.
The festival meal then follows.
In keeping with Yitz Greenberg’s suggestions, one could add: Peaches: May it be a “peachy” year Dates: May our single friends have many “dates” this year Mushrooms: May our abundance “mushroom” in the years ahead….
Have fun with this and make it meaningful to your family. Finally, I am attaching a link to a YouTube series of “The Selichot of Ezra Bessaroth”, in Seattle, Washington. It is a ten-part series of the Selichot service in the tradition of the Jews of Rhodes, led by Hazzan Isaac Azose, with many in the Congregation participating. The melodies are familiar to those of us who grew up in Rhodesli Sephardic Synagogues. There is something comforting and reaffirming in melodies, memories and flavors of our youth. I hope you will take a few minutes to listen and enjoy.
Please share with us any of your own family traditions….we would love to post them. Sharing keeps traditions alive and evolving for each new generation!
From our home to yours, Anyada buena i dulse ke tengas….a good and sweet New Year to all; Tizku Leshanim Rabot…May we all merit many years;!
Reshas or Reshikas as they are sometimes called, are a favorite in our family. A resha is not actually sweet or savory; it is light and has a crunch that is sensational, especially if you love texture in your food! With a piece of abedahu, a few olives, some raki……our Happy Hour.
Reshas with a cup of coffee or tea and with a chunk of sharp cheese, a delight! My husband and my sons love them with dips such as tarama (a Sephardic caviar spread), with tzatziki (a Greek yogurt dip), and with ajada (a potato and garlic dip). Mostly, they love knowing they are in the kitchen, and grab one when passing through!!!!
Reshas take time to make.
So….how does one make these divine reshas? Start by making a yeast dough.
Kaye’s Resha Recipe
2 packets of Yeast Powder or 4 heaping tblsp of dry yeast
1 1/2 C + 1 tsp sugar
2 C lukewarm water
1 C oil
6 – 8 C flour
Start with 2 packets of fresh yeast ( always check expiration date on package). Place in a glass bowl. (*rinse bowl in warm water first). Add 1/2 C of lukewarm water. Add 1 tsp of sugar. Set aside in a warm place ( a toaster oven or microwave….not turned on). Allow yeast to proof ( foam), about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, sift flour into a mixing bowl. (How much flour? you ask.) Start with 1 – 2 C to get mixing started. Add 1 ½ C of lukewarm water, oil, and 1 1/2 C of sugar. You’ll note that we have said “lukewarm” water several times. This means…..not cold from the tap, and not hot. Hot water will kill the yeast, and not only will your dough not rise, it will become heavy and brick like. Trust me….I’ve figured in the past that if warm is good, hot is better. Was I wrong! I ended up with a batch of doorstops, paperweights and hockey pucks!!!! SO…warm means….just that, warm!!!! (Now, go forth and figure out for yourself what that means!!!)
My mom use an electric Mix Master with a dough hook.
As you start mixing, add the foaming yeast mixture. Then, add additional sifted flour, approximately 1/2 cup at a time…..ultimately about 7 Cups. (Add it slowly….it will “suddenly” start to come away from the sides of the bowl and become “dough”). When it begins to come away from the sides, turn the dough onto a floured wood surface or table, adding approximately 1/2 cup additional flour. Work the dough; knead it. You want the dough not to be sticky as long as you can handle it without it sticking to your hands. To achieve this feel with the least amount of flour produces the best results. (You’ll get the feel of it, honest!)
Put it in a bowl, cover with a piece of Pam-sprayed plastic wrap. Tuck the plastic edges in nice and cozy! Put the dough in a “warm” (i.e. draft-free) place and let it rise for about an hour. My mom will tell you this is a good time to go make the beds, or straighten up the house. My cousin will tell us it’s a good time to run up to Neiman’s and see what’s new. I’ll tell you it’s a great opportunity to start preparing some biscocho dough and make a day of baking!!!! You choose!
After it rises for an hour, punch it down…
Cut the dough into walnut sized pieces.
Roll each piece into a long rope, perhaps 12″ long:
Turn into a pretzel-like shape. “Paint” with an egg-wash and dip into sesame seed. Place onto parchment lined cookie sheet.
Now, let them rest for another hour under cover as they rise again. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven. Here’s the important part: place baking sheet on low oven rack for about 10 minutes or until bottom of reshas begin to turn a golden color. Then place them on the upper rack of the oven. It should take about another 10 – 15 minutes until the tops become a golden brown as well. (This depends on the oven and might take a try or two to figure out the exact timing).
Remove from oven and allow to cool. Return them to a 200 degree for 1 hour to “biscochar” ( crisp ’em up). Enjoy!!!
Now you’re ready. Get your raki…..slice the abedahu. A few greek olives…..turn on Port Said……a few reshas. It’s time for Happy Hour! Enjoy!
Watch as my mom, Kaye Israel, puts the finishing touches on her burekas. As she always says, you taste with your eyes first. Give it a try with your next batch.
I posted about Burekas earlier……now let’s bake some!
An absolute favorite in any Sephardic household…and to any guest at a Sephardic table…is the bureka!
A flavorful, savory, tasty filled pastry that can simply melt in your mouth! Each community has their unique varieties; each family, their favorites! Our “Rhodesli” family, (from the Island of Rhodes, currently Greece, but in the times of our family, a Turkish or Ottoman possession) loves this moon shaped pastry, filled with a “conduchu” (filling) of rice and cheeses, as well as those filled with a mouth-watering mixture of sautéed eggplant, onions and tomatoes!
My grandmother was always baking burekas in the kitchen, along with lots of other homemade goodies! I remember my mom and her aunt spending hours preparing and baking these treats, and the amazing aroma that filled the house when I got home! As our sons have grown, Grandma’s burekas have been a favorite for snacks, special meals, breakfast….even in their lunch boxes! I think they are my husband’s favorite Sephardic treat. They are flavorful, delicious and definitely filled with love!!!
Now that I am learning the art alongside my mom, I can absolutely appreciate the work, skill and patience that goes into making them.
My mom came to bake today and we made burekas of both kinds. The house smells heavenly! I am learning from her the joy of baking and of sharing these very special treats!!! Here we share her recipes and some of her tips on making them. Let us know what you think!
Begin by making the filling.
Kaye (Hasson) Israel’s recipe for Rice/Cheese Burekas
Ingredients:
5 C Water
1 tsp Salt
8 oz Cottage Cheese
2 C Rice
1 C Feta Cheese
1-1/2 C Romano Cheese
(Optional) Parmesan instead of Romano
½ to 1 C Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
3 Lge Eggs
Bring water and salt to boil. Add 2 Cups rice (rinsed and drained), cover, and keep on a simmer flame until all the water is absorbed. (Prox 30 minutes constantly watched.).
Remove from flame; allow to cool!
Mash rice w/potato masher; Add cheeses and eggs and continue to mash. Mixture should be damp, not dry.
Kaye (Hasson) Israel’s Recipe for Bureka Dough
Ingredients:
3 C Ice Water
2 1/2 C Oil
1 tsp salt
10 – 12 C Flour. (11 is about right)
1 egg to be used as an ‘egg wash’ before baking
Fill measuring cup with ice cubes, add water to 3 C mark on measuring cup. In large mixing bowl, add mix of water and ice, oil and salt. Let stand for as few minutes for water to get ice cold before beginning to add flour. Continue to mix. As flour begins to take on elastic consistency of dough, remove ice cubes. Knead until dough is not sticky and has the consistency of a pie dough.
Separate dough into 4 portions. Pinch off “walnut” sized balls and place on a work surface. Work each ball in the palm of your left hand (if you are right handed). Use your right hand to tuck the dough under and into itself, working to make it a smooth ball. As balls are formed, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Once all the balls are prepared and the dough has had a chance to “rest,” begin by placing 6 balls on work surface. Using your fingers, press out the dough; then, with a small rolling pin, make oval shaped, flat forms.
Using a tablespoon or small scoop, scoop filling into the middle of the flatten dough.
After all 6 have been filled, fold each on in the middle, pinching the edges shut and making a moon shaped, filled pastry.
You can make a beautiful edge by pinching and rolling under the edges (see video clip). Or you can use a fork to crimp the edges with a nice, clean pattern. (Remember, you “taste” first with your eyes.).
Continue with all the dough. This recipe SHOULD make approximately 84 burekas. Place on parchment lined baking sheets. Using a pastry brush, “paint” with a wash made by beating an egg and 2 drops of water. Finish with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes…or until golden brown. They are divine right out of the oven! Can be frozen and easily be warmed again in oven or toaster oven. (Note: Microwave makes them soggy. You can zap for a few seconds, then put them in an oven or toaster oven to warm). Great for a brunch…for a snack. Anytime is the right time for a Bureka!!!
~Bendichas Manos
BendichasManos.com
on Facebook: Bendichas Manos!
Congregation Or Ve Shalom in Atlanta isn’t just the oldest Sephardic synagogue in the southeast; it’s currently home to over 400 families in the greater Atlanta area and home of one of the stellar Sephardic Sisterhoods in the country.
The Sisterhood is known for their baking of Burekas and other Sephardic delicacies and treats throughout the year, leading up to the synagogue’s Bazaar and other opportunities for the community to stock their freezers with these delicious and memory evoking treats! They are also known as the publishers of one of the best known and loved Sephardic Cookbooks, ‘The Sephardic Cooks – Comé Con Gana’, a compendium of dearly loved recipes in the Rhodesli Sephardic tradition. First published in 1971, the book has been re-printed many times and can still be purchased by contacting the synagogue office at 404.633.1737 (the book is $25/copy to addresses in the USA…..check office for details)
Or Ve Shalom Sisterhood gathers each Tuesday to bake. Ladies who have come for years now bring their daughters and granddaughters to join in the tradition – a new generation learning the recipes and tips from ‘the pros.’ The great cookbook author and food critic Joan Nathan went to Atlanta to watch them and wrote about her experience in a wonderful piece for The New York Times (Read it here). The Atlanta Jewish Times (read it here) wrote about the community maintaining tradition through their baking, as well.
In February of this year at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, a short film was shown called ‘Tuesday’s are for Burekas,’ by Justin Newton. Take a look at it here.
Those of us who love them, always knew the Bureka was worthy of such fame. Thanks to the ladies of Or Ve Shalom for making sure the Bureka is getting its due!
~Bendichas Manos
BendichasManos.com
on Facebook: Bendichas Manos!
BendichasManos.com 
