This aromatic bread is made with a combination of bread flour and masa harina, which gives it a wonderful corn-y flavor. The thin, crispy crust yields to a moist, tender crumb, and, as the name suggests, it’s especially good toasted. While we find it easiest to make this dough in a stand mixer, it can also be made by hand; just be mindful of the amount of flour added during kneading so that the nice tender crumb you’re going for doesn’t become too dense.
Omelettes were a huge part of my diet when I was growing up. They were something quick and easy for my dad to make for us when our mum was in hospital in Kolkata for her radiotherapy treatments. We would roll these omelettes up inside flatbreads or place them between two slices of bread toasted in a pan to make a sandwich, then eat them – always with tomato ketchup.
This is our house granola, because it is both delicious and adaptable. Swap out the nuts, sub in seeds, mix in whatever dried fruit you want. I’ve even made it with maple syrup instead of date molasses. But this is the version we like best. The date molasses and tahini swathe each morsel in an addictive, salty-sweet coating that is hard to stop snacking on. We spoon this granola onto yogurt, use it to top fruit crumbles, layer it in parfaits, and eat it out of hand throughout the day.
If you like your granola on the chewy side, bake it for less time (35 to 45 minutes) and pack it more tightly in the baking sheet; for crispier granola, bake it longer (40 to 50 minutes) and spread it out in a thinner, more even layer. As always, much depends on your individual oven.
All dishes with leeks have dual nationality in my family. My grandfather, Gheorghe, was from Oltenia, where leeks are considered a culinary symbol, and I now live in Wales, UK, where they play a similar role. What a coincidence.
This stew is very popular, especially during Lent (skipping the wine) and I love it for its sweet-tangy notes and how quickly it comes together. It is usually served with bread, but I've heard that burghul wheat and rice are also common south of the Danube.
During my childhood, many people in the country were poor, and their daily staple would have been wholemeal bread. White flour was more expensive than brown so white soda bread was considered to be more luxurious – a treat for special occasions.
Growing up, I awoke to the smell of this omelet cooking on most weekends, and my mom (whom our kids call “Nanima”) still makes it for the kids whenever they stay over. First, the potatoes are diced and sautéed until they’re perfectly tender, and then you add the spiced egg mixture. My mom would also pack it with onions, and we’d enjoy it with fresh paratha (a flatbread), yogurt, and green chutney; you can also serve it with Pickled Carrots. It’s kinda like a frittata but with all the Indian spices to warm your soul (and your taste buds). I love that the kids gobble it up and that they’re just as excited when they smell it cooking on a weekend morning as I was!
Hanukkah is a fine time to serve these at brunch with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream on top. I am constantly amazed at just how far Jewish food travels: when I was working on the update for this book, my daughter Daniela told me that a relative of her Chilean friend posted a recipe online for apple latkes. When I contacted her, I realized it was a Polish recipe. Shortly afterward, Daniela, on a train going through Poland, tasted a similar apple pancake. You can also substitute stone fruits, like apricots, plums, or peaches—in the late spring, at Shavuot, or anytime.
When a recipe requires four sticks of butter and five cups of almonds, can there possibly be a downside? No. Charlotte Midthun of Granite Falls encountered this recipe in First for Women magazine and had a hunch it would be a hit. “I took these to a party, and everyone loved them,” she said. “I’ve been making them ever since. They’re such a nice contrast to all the chocolate cookies and sugar cookies at Christmas.” They sure are.
These are Brussels sprouts but with a difference. First, they are finely shredded and sautéed in plenty of butter flavoured with nutmeg and sage, then they are combined with orecchiette, double (heavy) cream and plenty of Parmesan.
Spätzle batter is simple, made of just flour, eggs and milk or water, plain or sparkling, which issupposed to help achieve a light and chewy texture of the noodles.