Welcome Back, Carbs!

Passover is a meaningful time, filled with a wide variety of special traditions and foods. The return of the chametz also gives people a reason to celebrate.   

Samantha Ferraro, founder of The Little Ferraro Kitchen and author of the “The Weeknight Mediterranean Cookbook,” misses pasta the most during Passover.

“My cherry tomato pasta combines comfort and simplicity,” Ferraro told the Journal.  “Plus, tomatoes are my favorite fruit.”

Cherry Tomato Pasta with Garlic and Lots of Basil 

Yield 6-8 serving 

1 pound linguini
Kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for garnish
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 pints cherry tomatoes, any variety
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
Flaky sea salt for garnish
Red pepper flakes, optional, for heat

Begin by boiling a pot of water for the pasta and season liberally with kosher salt. Cook linguini according to directions, until al dente, about 8-9 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until just softened but color has not changed.
Add cherry tomatoes and cook until tomatoes begin to burst. Use a wooden spoon to gently press on the tomatoes as they soften to help them burst. Season with salt and cook for about 10 minutes or until tomatoes have started to release their juices.
Once pasta is done, drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Add cooked pasta directly to tomatoes and toss to combine and stir in parmesan cheese. If the sauce is too dry, add a bit of pasta water and another good drizzle of olive oil.
Roughly tear up some of the basil and add to pasta, tossing everything together.
Plate pasta with cherry tomatoes and top with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, drizzle of olive oil, sea salt and parmesan cheese.

Notes:
To help cherry tomatoes cook a bit quicker, place a lid over the skillet, which will also help retain any juices/liquid.
If you don’t have cherry tomatoes, larger tomatoes will work well, just chop them into ½ inch cubes.
If the sauce is too dry, add some of the reserved starchy pasta water and stir to combine

To me, it’s not Sunday morning if I don’t have my bagels and lox, and similarly, it’s not Shabbat without a slice of fresh challah,” June Hersh, author of “Food, Hope and Resilience: Authentic Recipes and Remarkable Stories from Holocaust Survivors,” among others, told the Journal. “I miss both during Passover, but for tradition’s sake, I’ll go with challah being the most noticeably absent from my weekly routine.”

While Hersh said she doesn’t always bake a homemade challah, when she does, she uses Nadzia Bergson’s recipe from the aforementioned book. 

“Nadzia’s story, her survival from Auschwitz and her beautiful bashert are inspiring,” Hersh said. “Her challah is inspiring, as well, and the tactile sensation of preparing challah is completely satisfying.”

Nadzia Bergson’s Challah 

Yield: 1 large loaf
Start to Finish: Under 4 hours

1½ tsp active dry yeast
1¼ cups warm water (yeast thermometer should read between 105 and 115 degrees)
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
4 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt

Egg wash glaze:
1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water, beaten

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the yeast, water and sugar and allow the yeast to bubble, about 10 minutes. Add the oil and egg; beat on low speed with the flat paddle until combined. Slowly begin adding the flour and salt and mix until all 4 cups have been incorporated. Turn the mixer to medium and mix for several minutes. Replace the beater with the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes longer, adding more flour if needed to create a smooth, firm, elastic, non-sticky dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or two so you can judge if the dough is right. Pour a drop of oil into a bowl and then place the dough in the bowl, rolling it around so all sides are covered with oil; this will help prevent a crust from forming while the dough rises. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then drape with a towel. Let it rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. If baking the dough at a later time, you can refrigerate the dough overnight and proceed to the next step.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down several times, so that all the air is released from the dough. Return the dough to the greased bowl and cover in the same manner as before. Let the dough rise for an additional hour
Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out. Punch down the dough and separate into three equal parts. Roll the dough sections in your hands to form three ropes, each about 12″ long. Squeeze out the air as you roll and gently pull on the ends, so the strand is thicker in the middle and narrower at the ends.
Place the three ropes on a lightly greased baking sheet. Pinch the ends together at one end and begin braiding the bread just like you would a ponytail, by moving the far-right piece over the middle piece, taking the far-left piece and bringing it over the middle piece. When done braiding, pinch the remaining ends together and then tuck them underneath to create a neat finish. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let the dough rise one more time, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare the egg wash, and using a pastry brush, coat the challah. Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown. When you tap the bread, you should hear a hollow sound. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
Note: 1 cup of raisins can be mixed in for a sweet holiday version, and poppy or sesame seeds can be sprinkled on top right before baking.

Doug Weinstein is executive chef for the Santa Barbara Jewish Federation. “I love dipping my mandelbrot into my coffee, while I watch the sun rise over the Santa Barbara coast,” Weinstein told the Journal.

Chef Doug Weinstein’s Mandelbrot Recipe

4 cups flour (all-purpose)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: 1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups almonds (coarsely chopped)

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside. In another large bowl or a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs until well blended. Increase the speed to high and beat in the sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until mixture is thick and foamy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add oil and extract(s) to the eggs and beat briefly to blend. Replace whisk with the paddle attachment and, on lowest speed, beat in flour mixture and almonds just until mixture holds together. It will be soft, but shouldn’t be too sticky. If necessary, add a few more tablespoons of flour.
Divide dough in half. Dampen hands lightly and form each half into a 3-inch-by-12-inch log on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 4 inches apart. Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes.
Carefully place logs on a cutting board and cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices.
Place pieces cut side down on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes. Turn pieces over and bake 5 minutes longer or until completely dry. Cool completely on wire racks.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months or freeze.