Dairy delights

It’s time to start thinking about cooking for Shavuot. Here are some recipes to get you in the mood.

By GOURMETKOSHERCOOKING.COM
Savory Parmesan Biscotti 370 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Savory Parmesan Biscotti 370
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Savory Parmesan Biscotti
2-½ cups flour2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons kosher salt½ teaspoon pepper½ cup butter, room temperature, cut into pieces½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh not the powdered)2 eggs¼ cup milk¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped2 teaspoons rosemary1 teaspoon minced garlic
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Add butter, and using hands or a fork, mix until coarse crumbs for. Add cheese and stir to combine. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary and garlic. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Divide in half. Shape each piece into an approximately 10-inch log and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten until about 3 inches wide.
Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and slice. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
Southwestern Spanakopita
2 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper1 scallion, minced1 teaspoon oil1/2 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well¾ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese½ cup corn½ cup cooked black beans (canned is fine)½ jalapeno, minced12 teaspoon cumin½ teaspoon chili powder8 sheets phyllo dough½ cup butter, melted
Sauce:1/3 cup avocado¼ cup mayonnaise¼ cup sour cream1-½ teaspoons vinegar
In a small skillet, sauté pepper and scallion until soft. Transfer to small bowl and stir in spinach. Combine with the cheese, corn, beans, jalapeno, cumin and chili powder.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a thin layer of butter across bottom of a 9×13-inch pan. Place two sheets of phyllo on top and brush with butter. Place two more sheets on top and brush again. Spread filling across dough. Top with two sheets phyllo and spread with butter.
Finish with last two sheets of phyllo and spread with butter again. Cut horizontally and then on the diagonal. Bake for ½ hour to 45 minutes until golden. Mash together sauce ingredients and serve with the spanakopita.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake
Crust:1 cup graham cracker crumbs½ cup finely chopped peanuts½ cup butter or margarine, melted
Filling:3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened¾ cup sugar2 tablespoons flour1 teaspoon vanilla3 eggs1-1/2 cups chopped peanut butter cups 1 tablespoon flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together graham cracker crumbs, peanuts and melted butter or margarine. Press onto bottom and slightly up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar, flour and vanilla and continue beating. Add eggs, one at a time. Mixture should be very creamy. Toss chopped peanut butter cups with the 1 tablespoon flour. Stir into cream cheese mixture and pour into crust.
Bake for 1 hour. Cool on wire rack. Loosen sides and refrigerate.Garnish with extra chopped peanut butter cups if desired.