I don’t consider cooking and baking to be particularly complicated or difficult. Most of the time, I combine preparing familiar dishes with trying new ones, and I make a point of experimenting with recipes and ingredients. However, sometimes preparing a family meal needs to be quick. When I want to speed up the process, I rely on recipes my family or guests already love and make small changes that turn them into something slightly different.
This is exactly what happened when I returned from vacation and all my children gathered for a family Shabbat meal. I decided to skip meat or fish dishes, and instead I grabbed some beautiful, colorful peppers, which I stuffed with a filling of red rice, lentils, and nuts.
I also modified the Borekitas: Instead of laboring over the dough, I used ready-made puff pastry, already cut into small squares, which shortened preparation time. Instead of a cheese filling, I made a filling of mushrooms and eggplant, and instead of a pocket shape, I shaped the Borekitas like a pastry envelope closed over the filling.
I couldn’t skip the Shabbat treat - the cake. When I turn on the oven and start baking, the aroma fills the entire house and does its magic. I chose a simple maple cake made from basic ingredients that are always in the house. Everything goes into a bowl, gets a quick stir, and when a fragrant batter forms, it goes straight into the oven. Within 20 minutes, a wonderful aroma surrounds the house. Instead of frosting, I pour maple syrup over the warm cake. This time, I mixed it with Silan (date syrup) and sprinkled a few chopped nuts on top.
Colorful Peppers with Rice and Lentil Filling
Ingredients (serves 6–8):
6–8 peppers in various colors (yellow, red, orange, green)
Filling:
- 2¼ cups red rice
- ½ cup lentils
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 2–3 tablespoons breadcrumbs, matzo meal, or oats
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 eggs
- 8 parsley stalks, finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1 red chili, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 1 red chili
- 1 medium onion
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1½–2 cups water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
Preparation:
Remove the tops of the peppers (the “caps”) and set aside. Remove seeds and wash well. For the filling: Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until uniform. Stuff the peppers with the filling and cover with the pepper tops.
For the sauce: Cut all vegetables into cubes or thin strips. Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the vegetables, add the spices and liquids, mix, and bring to a boil.
Carefully arrange the stuffed peppers in the pot with the sauce. If necessary, add a little water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low for about 40 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the liquid has reduced. Serve hot.
Difficulty: Medium
Preparation time: About 1 hour
Dish type: Parve (neutral)
Borekitas with Mushroom and Eggplant Filling
Ingredients (for ~12 pieces):
• 1 small package of ready-made puff pastry, cut into squares
Filling:
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 sliced purple onions
- ½ basket sliced champignon mushrooms
- 1 medium eggplant, diced and fried (or roasted and mashed)
- 1 medium potato, boiled and mashed
- 1 large egg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For brushing:
• Beaten egg
For sprinkling:
• ¼ cup mixed light and dark sesame seeds
Preparation:
Heat oil in a medium pan and sauté the sliced onions until golden brown. Add the mushrooms and sauté a few more minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Add the fried or roasted eggplant and mashed potato. Add the egg and seasonings, mix, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Flour the work surface and lay out the puff pastry squares. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each square. Place each square on a greased muffin tin (or arrange all the squares on a tray first, then add filling). Fold the pastry edges over the filling and seal gently. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (medium heat) for about 20 minutes, then let cool.
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation time: About 1 hour
Dish type: Parve
Simple Maple Cake
Ingredients (for 2 loaf pans):
- 3–4 eggs (4 small or 3 large)
- 1¼ cups Demarara or regular sugar
- 2 packets vanilla sugar or 2–3 drops vanilla extract
- ½ cup oil
- 2 cups fresh orange juice (for a dairy version: Cream or yogurt)
- 2½ cups sifted flour (spelt can be used)
- 1 packet baking powder
- Pinch of salt
For topping:
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
For moistening the cake:
• ½ cup maple syrup + 2 tablespoons Silan, mixed well
Preparation:
Place eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, oil, and orange juice in a large bowl and mix until smooth.
Gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt while stirring. Mix well until a smooth, lump-free batter forms.
Grease and lightly flour two loaf pans (or line with parchment paper). Divide batter evenly and smooth the tops. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and dry. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Poke a few holes with a skewer and gently release the cake from the pan edges with a knife. Pour the maple-silan mixture over the warm cake. It absorbs immediately, keeping the cake moist and soft.
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation time: About 1 hour
Dish type: Parve
Tip from Pascal for varying simple cakes:
Add dates, nuts, raisins, dried fruits, or cranberries to the batter. For extra juiciness and softness, add fruits like pears, plums, bananas, or apples, or vegetables like squash or carrots. Adding spices to the batter creates a range of aromas and flavors. Use ginger, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg, according to your preference.
Before baking, sprinkle sesame seeds, almonds, or nuts on top. Instead of two cups of orange juice, you can use one cup of orange juice and one cup of yogurt or cream.