Religion
The miracle of Pesach lasagne
Thirty seders after her first book, Pesach, was published, Cape Town artist and author Esther Surdut’s book has been reprinted (the fifth edition), with 450 recipes that conjure up comforting holiday memories but have ingredients easily obtainable at your local supermarket – perfect for lockdown!
ESTHER SURDUT
We all have family favourites like kneidlach, soups, chicken, and brisket dishes – not to mention tzimmes, but Esther focuses on food with a healthy twist, making this Pesach a truly different experience.
Italian lasagne
• 2 eggs
• 500ml/2 tubs low-fat cottage cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 clove finely chopped garlic
• 3-4 whole matzahs
• milk
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 250g cheddar cheese, grated
Beat eggs, add cottage cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix well. Wet matzahs with milk to moisten, but don’t make soggy.
Pour a little sauce in a square ovenproof dish, and spread evenly, layer the remaining ingredients by alternating matzah, cottage cheese mixture, tomato sauce, and cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese. Bake at 180°C for 45 to 50 minutes. Let the lasagne rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Enjoy with a fresh green salad.
Sugarless pink apple dessert
• 6-8 Granny Smith apples
• 125ml/½ cup water
• 3 sticks cinnamon or 5ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 packet sugar-free Pesach jelly (strawberry or raspberry)
Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Place in saucepan with water to simmer until almost soft. Remove from heat, and mash or puree. While still hot, stir in jelly crystals until dissolved. Cool, place in pretty glass serving dish or individual goblets and refrigerate. Serve well chilled. Enjoy plain or with a dollop of cream and a sprig of mint. So easy, so fruity, and no sugar!
Adina’s Passover breakfast crunch
Ingredients
- 125ml/½ cup honey
- 80ml/⅓ cup oil
- 250ml/1 cup pecan nuts, chopped
- 250ml/1 cup almonds, chopped
- 500ml/2 cups crushed matzah
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 250ml/1 cup raisins
- 125ml/½ cup desiccated coconut
- grated rind of half lemon
- 60ml/¼ cup marmalade
Method
Heat honey and oil in a large saucepan. Stir in pecan nuts and almonds, and cook for five minutes on medium heat. Add crushed matzah, raisins, coconut, lemon rind, and marmalade, and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Spread the mixture onto a greased baking tray. Heat the oven to 180°C, and switch off. Place the mixture in the oven for two hours to crisp. Store in an airtight container. This is absolutely delicious! Enjoy at breakfast with milk or yoghurt and fresh fruit, or on its own as Pesach nosh.