Two stunning Shavuot recipes

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The word Shavuot means “weeks”. It marks the completion of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot.

The giving of the Torah was a far-reaching spiritual event – one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul for all times. Shavuot also means “oaths”, for on this day G‑d swore eternal devotion to the Jewish people and they in turn pledged everlasting loyalty to Him.

The holiday of Shavuot, or “The Feast of Weeks” stretches over two days, beginning at sundown of the 5th of Sivan and lasting until nightfall of the 7th of Sivan. (In Israel it is a one-day holiday, ending at nightfall of the 6th of Sivan.)

Women and girls light holiday candles to usher in the holiday, on both the first and second evenings of the holidays.

It is customary to stay up all night learning Torah on the first night of Shavuot.

All men, women and children should go to the synagogue on the first day of Shavuot to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments. As on other holidays, special meals are eaten, and no “work” may be performed. It is customary to eat dairy foods on Shavuot.

On the second day of Shavuot, the Yizkor memorial service is recited.

The word “Pentecost” derives from a Greek word which means “fiftieth”. It comes from the command to count 50 days from the day after the Sabbath during Passover week.

Jews were to count seven weeks and the Hebrew word for weeks is “Shavuot” therefore it was known as the Feast of Shavuot or Feast of Weeks.

The first Pentecost was when Moses received the 10 Commandments. So every year during this holiday the story of Moses ascending the Mount is read along with the Book of Ruth, about a gentile being grafted into Israel.

KosherWorld has provided two stunning recipes for this festive period: one for cheese cake and the other for asparagus quiche.

Low-fat cheese cake

Ingredients

Crust

1 packet Tennis Biscuits
100g melted butter
1/2 cup sugar

Filling

3 x 250g tubs of fat-free smooth cream cheese
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
Pinch salt
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 tablespoons lemon juice
250ml plain yoghurt

Method

Put oven at 180 degrees Celsius

Mix crushed biscuits, butter and sugar

Press into bottom of spring form tin

Bake until brown

Mix fat-free cheese and flour

Beat eggs and sugar until creamy

Add to cheese mixture

Add vanilla, lemon juice, salt and yoghurt

Lower oven temperature to 150 degrees

Pour cheese mixture into tin

Bake for one hour

Turn oven off and leave the cake in oven overnight

Asparagus quiche

Ingredients

Pastry

3 cups flour

175g butter

25ml water

Filling

1 cup grated cheddar

1 tin asparagus salad cuts

3 eggs

225ml fresh cream

pinch of salt

Note: 1/4 cup of cheddar can be substituted with 1/4 cup parmesan

Method

Short pastry

Use your food processor with a plastic blade

Blend 3 cups flour with 175g butter and 25ml iced water

Roll out the dough

Grease an oven-proof dish and line it with the pastry

The pastry must be pre-baked before adding filling. Prick pastry and place a piece of foil on top

Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes

Remove foil and bake for a further 5 minutes.

(Note: 1 roll readymade puff pastry also works for a quick base; grease and line an oven-proof dish with pastry)

Filling

Put 1/2 cup grated cheddar on base of pastry

Add one tin rinsed and drained asparagus salad cuts

Add another 1/2 cup grated cheddar

Beat 3 eggs, 225ml fresh cream, pinch of salt

Pour over filling

Bake at 200 degrees for approximately 35 to 40 minutes