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.
Burekas……The Finishing Touch
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Category Archives: borekas
Burekas!
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.
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
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Baking Burekas in Atlanta – The Ladies of Or Ve Shalom
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
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Judy Zeidler’s Fresh Homemade Ricotta Cheese
I had the delightful treat to be in Judy Zeidler’s kitchen last week when she made fresh homemade ricotta chesse. Growing up, ricotta was a staple in our Sephardic kitchen. Used in recipes such as our quajados and served with olive oil with home made bread…..ricotta, with it’s velvety smooth texture is a certain favorite. I was tickled when Judy told us she was making it for us!
With her permission, I’m printing her recipe today in hopes that you might include it in your Shavuot menu.
Judy’s Homemade Ricotta Cheese
1/2 gallon whole milk
1 cup cream
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons lemon juice
Heat the milk, cream and salt over meadium heat until it is about to boil.
Add the lemon juice, stir a few times and when the mixture begins to curdle, remove from the heat. Let curds rest for a minute or two.
Using a slotted spoon, skim the Ricotta curds from the whey and place them in a colander or wire sieve lined with cheesecloth. Drain for 15 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature, with a drizzle of honey.
(Marcia’s note….it was delicious with a drizzle of honey. At our house, we would likely drizzle with a bit of olive oil and perhaps a squeeze of lemon).
Try it and let us know how you enjoyed it!
Thank you to Judy Zeidler for this wonderful recipe. Check out her book, ‘Italy Cooks,’ which has this and other wonderful recipes and stories from her travels in Italy, as well as her other creatively delightful cookbooks by visiting http://www.judyzeidler.com.
As we celebrate the receiving of the Torah, we share an array of dairy dishes….boyos, burekas, quajados, sutlach, cheeses of all sorts, (thus, Ricotta!)….and our friends share blintzes, cheese kugles, knishes, etc. As mother’s milk (dairy) nourishes a body to grow; so, too, Torah nourishes our souls.
Wishing you all a joyous and meaningful Shavuot….and delicious treats to go along with it!
~ Bendichas Manos
Delicious Delicacies…the Flavors and Foods of our Heritage
What is the thread weaving together the Rue Tigrane Pacha in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria, Shah Street in the cosmopolitan city of Teheran, and the Puerta de la Mar in the Old Town of Rhodes, once a part of Turkey and now a part of Greece? And what do ‘cahk’, ‘toot’ and ‘ashuplados’ have in common?
These are the tastes and the neighborhoods we once called home. “Cahk” is an Egyptian egg and sesame biscuit, “toot” a Persian marzipan delicacy shaped like white mulberries, and “ashuplados” are meringue clouds from the Island of Rhodes. These recipes and recollections, along with other multi-cultural delicacies, make up the new Sephardic Heritage Cookbook, produced by the Or Chadash Sisterhood of Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel in Los Angeles. The Sisterhood originally produced a cookbook in 1971, which has sold several thousand copies throughout the world over the past 40 some years.
Since that time, Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel has grown, evolved and become home to a growing number of Jews from throughout the Ottoman lands and the Middle East, as well as new generations of young families drawn to the warmth and vibrancy of the community. Each group has brought with them a cultural and culinary tradition that together create a beautiful ‘salad bowl’ of diversity that makes Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel such a rich and enriching place to call home.
The ‘Cookbook Group’ has been meeting for the past five years, sharing recipes and traditions from Turkey, Morocco, Rhodes, Iran, Israel, Curacao, Egypt and South America. Our diversity makes us unique – bringing new flavors and traditions to the table; always marveling at the similarities we share.
The new cookbook, replete with or stories and photographs of delicious delicacies, is a volume that all collectors of ‘Sephardica’ will want for their library……and ‘foodies’ and cooks of all backgrounds will want in their kitchen. Get a copy for yourself – and get a few for gifts!
Enjoy cooking ….and may your hands always be blessed!
~Bendichas Manos, Marcia
You can purchase them online at SephardicTemple.org. Books are $32 each + shipping (buy 3 or more and receive a 10% discount on books.) {Can be shipped anywhere in the US for an additional $5/copy}
Rosh Hashana 2014
My mom is baking and preparing for Rosh Hashana…..Boyos, burekas, biscochos, pan di casa, reshas….all our family favorites.
Posting some tried and true recipes in hope that you might give them a try. Please share your menus and favorite family memories with us.
Together – we’ll keep our traditions alive!
Boyos di Spinaka
https://bendichasbendichosmanos.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/finally-boyos/
Burekas, biscochos and reshas
Pan di Casa
https://bendichasbendichosmanos.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/panizikos-di-kaza-home-baked-bread-rolls/
Wishing all an ‘anyada buena i dulce”. Tizku L’eshanim Rabot – may we all merit many years.
~Bendichas Manos
Rosh Hashana 5774
The High Holidays are upon us! As we prepare to greet each other with wishes of ‘Anyada Buena’ (A good year) and ‘Tizku Leshanim Rabot’ ( may you be written for many, many years)….we prepare, too, for family gatherings and the special foods that we love to share. My mom has begun baking boyos, burekas, reshas, biscochos as well as some special sweet treats for a sweet year. I am posting past posts of some of these recipes.
In addition, I am including a post about a traditional Rosh Hashana Seder. Some families call these the ‘Ratzones’, from the phrase ‘Yehi Ratzone’, (may it be your will…) referring to the opening words of the blessings, referencing the traditional foods that are eaten. It is a lovely, traditional Sephardic custom that has gained popularity in recent years even among non-Sephardim. I hope you will explore it. Perhaps add it to your family repertoire. Tweak it – add new elements – make it your own!
I invite you to add your holiday memories as comments.
In addition, join the conversation on Facebook at ‘Bendichas Manos’
Wishing you all an ‘Anyada Buena!’ A good year. Tizku Leshanim Rabot – may we all be written in the Book of Life and granted many, many years.
~Bendichas Manos!!!
Ah…….Rhodes!!!!!
I have been devouring the new book I just received, Stella’s Sephardic Table, Jewish family recipes from the Mediterranean Island of Rhodes. This is a beautiful coffee table book compiled by Stella Cohen, an artist, cookbook author and proud Sephardic Jew, born and raised in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia ( today known as Harare, Zimbabwe). The book is filled with treasured Rhodesli recipes, wonderful photographs, a history of Rhodes, special holiday recipes, traditions, folk remedies, beliefs and blessings and so much more! A treasure trove for anyone who traces their family background to the glorious Juderia of Rhodes as well as those who love traditional Sephardic cuisine.
Reading the recipes, the stories, the Ladino sayings……Stella’s tale of visiting her grandchildren who, after kisses and hugs ask, “Nonna, where are the reshikas?”…things we, as Rhodeslis, can relate to! Imagine! Stella grew up in Africa, a world away from me….and her family table, recollection of family holidays and stories passed down from grandparents of the glorious Island of Rhodes….almost identical! What a joy to see these recipes, stories and reflections in print! It validates our experiences, gives voice to our traditions and helps keep our traditions alive and thriving, for our children and generations to come!
This is a ‘must have’ addition for your library! You can order it today by visiting Amazon. (order several copies…you’ll want to share them with your family and friends!! A wonderful gift!!!)
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Our son David, sent us an article that was printed in the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz entitled, “Racing to save the Ladino legacy of Sephardi Jews”. The article told of an effort by a U.S. academic, Dr. Devin Naar, an assistant professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Washington in Seattle who is attempting to collect, preserve and digitize the rich Ladino heritage of Sephardic Jews. David has had the opportunity to study with Professor Naar at UW.
The Professor notes that while Yiddish books have been collected and digitized for sometime, Ladino literature has had no such effort, and no organized depository. He is working to do just that as part of the Sephardic Studies initiative of the University of Washington’s Stroum Jewish Studies program. Our friends at eSefarad.com have reprinted his article, as well. Take a look. If you have books, leaflets or any Ladino writing you might wish to share, message us. We will be happy to pass your information along to Dr. Naar. Perhaps YOU can help to keep the beautiful Ladino language alive !
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We wish to share a bold and valuable commentary from Rabbi Daniel Bouskila speaking to the classic Sephardic worldview of modernity, inclusion and tolerance. If you have not yet had a chance to read it, please do by clicking here. And for a weekly spark of inspiration and learning, sign up to receive his weekly Torah Thoughts from the Sephardic Educational Center by clicking here.
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Finally, July 23 is a dark day in the Rhodesli world, recalling the day when the deportation of the Jews from Rhodes took place. There were about 1600 souls taken from Rhodes and the nearby Island of Kos and shipped, in the worst of conditions to the hell that was Auschwitz. Many died en route. About 1200 were gassed almost immediately upon arrival. Countless others died from starvation, exposure, torture and unspeakable inhumanity at the hands of the Nazis. Only 151 survived.
On July 23, take a moment to recall those of Rhodes whose lives were cut short by the brutality of the horrific Nazi regime.
Consider adding a book on the subject to your family or community library so the martyred souls of Rhodes will forever be remembered.
Consider one of the following:
The Juderia: A Holocaust Survivor’s Tribute to the Jewish Community of Rhodes by Laura Varon
Rhodes and the Holocaust: The Story of the Jewish Community from the Mediterranean Island of Rhodes by Isaac Benatar
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Ah, Rhodes!!!
~Bendichas Manos
A Rosh Hashana Seder
The holidays are almost here and the cooking has begun! Time for family, reflection and looking towards the year ahead.
One of the rich and unique traditions of our Sephardic families is a Rosh Hashanah Seder. It is a short service we conduct around our tables with the Rosh Hashanah evening meal, with some families doing it on both nights. Including the traditional blessings done at the holiday meal table (Kiddush, 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 Hashanah celebrations. My father remembers the “ratzones” from his childhood in Seattle…we began sharing the tradition with our children and friends within the past decade. 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.
Finally, my good friend, Linda Sendowski (The Boreka Diary) has some wonderful recipes for Rosh Hashana foods, specifically these symbolic foods, on her blog, which I share with you.
Check it 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):
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):
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 ( Used the seeds in your cooking, in a salad, or see Debby Segura’s recipe for making a Granita)
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):
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!
My friend, Debby Segura, combines all the symbolic foods into a beautiful and tenderly delicious salad which she serves as an early course. Her recipe for a “New Year Simanim Salad” is posted here. I have served it many times….it is enjoyed by all, and the symbolism makes it ever more special! ( Debby Segura)
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.
(Selichot in the tradition of the Jews of Rhodes)
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 my parents, Jack and Kaye Israel, my husband Robert, and our sons, Jason and David….Tizku Leshanim Rabot…May we all merit many years; Anyada Buena….a good, and meaningful New Year to you all!
~Marcia Israel Weingarten
Bendichas Manos
Keftes di Prassa con Carne AND an Egyptian Leek Mina
I posted the recipe for Kefte di Prassa (leek patties) earlier this week. The recipe is as my mom has made them for all the years I can remember. Morrie Y. Angel has asked for a recipe that includes meat. Although we’ve never made them this way, I recall a year that Lenora (di Morris) Mizrahi (z’l) made them with meat and brought them to our Seder. I called her daughter, June Grossman, to see if she could share the recipe. She referred me to her sister-in-law, Sue (di Edward) MIzrahi. Sue took out her cookbook, and found the recipe (“handwritten on a gin rummy score sheet of Morris and Lenora…. incidentally Lenora won that particular nightly game by 36 points”). These are family heirlooms! Here is Lenora Mizrahi’s recipe for Keftes di Prassa con Carne as shared by Sue:
10 medium leeks
2 large potatoes boiled and mashed (approximate 1 cup)
1 lb ground beef
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp salt
pepper (to taste)
1 tbs chopped parsley
oil for frying
Soak and clean leeks well. Cut leeks into 1/4 inch pieces and boil in water until soft. Boil potaoes until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Add leeks and mashed potatoes and mix well with ground beef. Add eggs, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Form into patties. Fry until golden brown. Remove from frying pan onto absorbent paper towels (on top of brown paper bags).
Can be frozen and then reheated.
*MW: I asked Sue how long she warmed them when removing from the freezer. She responded: “When I would ask Madre how long to cook them she would say…”Ija, you’ll know,” but I don’t…I just guess each time and hope for the best!!!”
A great recipe….and memories of a great lady!!! Thanks, Sue, for sharing the recipe (and stories!).
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In addition, I am linking a blog I enjoy called “the carrot and the jew”. There was a posting this week by Elizabeth Alpern where she writes about an ‘Egyptian Leek Mina’, a variation on our Pesah megina. Looks yummy! Check it out and perhaps, try something new this year!
Lots of cooking going on! Enjoy. “Bendichas Manos!”
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