The Sephardi Culinary Tradition

Part II

 

Cast your mind back to the sun-drenched island of Rhodes
in the Aegean and let your thoughts stray a little further
to where the walls of the old city enclosed the Ğudería. 

 

The Sephardi Culinary Tradition pays tribute to a small pocket of Sephardi Jews who found refuge there after they fled Spain in 1492.  Old Spanish or Ladino remained their language, Spanish poems, songs and music were imbedded in their culture. A vanished culture, which was ancient in origin, rich in diversity and loyal in its faith.

 

In The Sephardi Culinary Tradition, Elsie Menasce pays tribute to these Rhodislis by evoking and rekindling the flavours, aromas, herbs and spices. "Each dish brings back memories of some occasion great or small; of festivals, of emotions and proverbial sayings." 

 

Mas kóme el ózo ke la bóka. The eye eats more than the mouth.

 

 

YAGÚR
Yoghurt

 

2 ½ cups milk
1 tablespoon activator (bacterial culture) or fresh commercial yoghurt.

 

Preparation: 15 minutes plus overnight standing time
Serves: 10 (¼ cup portions)

 

Bring milk to the boil in a large saucepan. When the froth rises let it simmer for a few minutes. Turn off heat and allow milk to cool to 42°C (still hot enough to sting finger). This is important, as yoghurt will fail if much cooler or hotter. Remove any skin, which may have formed on the surface. Beat activator, adding a few tablespoons of the hot milk. Add the rest of the milk slowly, beating continuously. Pour into individual containers or bowl. Cover with polythene and secure with an elastic band. Keep containers warm, wrapped in a blanket or shawl, and leave undisturbed for 6 hours or overnight. As soon as yoghurt is ready (creamy and thick), refrigerate.

 

 

YALANĞI YAPRĂK
Vine Leaves Stuffed with Rice

 

1 x 285 g tin vine leaves or fresh vine leaves in brine
3 onions, chopped
7 tablespoons oil
1 cup rice, well washed
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup water
1 tablespoon each chopped dill, mint and parsley
juice of 2 lemons
2 cups water

 

Preparation: 1 hour 
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8 – 10 

 

Rinse and lay vine leaves out flat, shiny side down. Glaze onion in 5 tablespoons of the oil. Add rice, salt and pepper and 1 cup water. Cook on medium heat for 15 – 20 minutes until water evaporates. Allow to cool. Add chopped dill, mint and parsley.

 

Place 1 teaspoon of the rice mixture in the center of each vine leaf, fold sides and roll to finger size. Oil a 22 cm shallow pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cover bottom of pan with 3 – 4 large vine leaves o prevent stuffed leaves from burning. Pack the stuffed vine leaves closely in layers until the pan is half full. Add the remaining oil, the lemon juice and cover with 3 – 4 large vine leaves. This seals in the flavour and prevents discoloration of the leaves. Add 2 cups water. Cover with a plate and lid and cook for 30 – 40 minutes on medium heat until water is absorbed. Serve cold, arranged on a platter garnished with lemon wedges.

 

These delicious cocktail snacks or hors d’hoeuvres may be prepared the day before. Spinach leaves may be substituted for vine leaves. Remove stalks, dip leaves in boiling water, and drain.

 

 

BOYOS DE FILA
Savoury Pastries

 

1 cup water
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter or 2 teaspoons oil
enough oil to cover dough
sprinkling of flour mixed with grated cheese

 

Preparation: 45 minutes plus 1 hour resting
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Temperature: 180°C 
Makes: 25

 

Prepare Spinach, Potato or Pumpkin Filling in advance. 
Mix water, flour and salt. Add the butter or oil and knead to a soft dough. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Knead twice more. Shape into 4 cm balls, rolling lightly (approximately 25 balls). Submerge the balls in oil in a shallow glass dish and allow to stand at least 1 hour. Pat and pull each ball gently, stretching it to about 25 cm square. Sprinkle with flour mixed with a little grated cheese. Fill with any of the prepared fillings and shape pastries. Dot with oil and sprinkle grated cheese. Arrange on an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes until golden brown. To reheat, preheat oven to 180°C, switch off and heat pastries for 20 minutes.

 

These savoury pastries are best served hot or warmed, with brown hard-boiled eggs.

 

 

GOMO DE ESPINĂKA
Spinach Filling

 

2 bunches spinach
1 ½ cups finely grated cheese (1/3 Parmesan type, 2/3 Cheddar)
½ teaspoon salt

 

Preparation: 20 minutes

 

Remove stalks, wash spinach, shred finely and dry on absorbent paper. Mix all ingredients together. Save spinach stalks for Spinach Stalk Stew!

 

 

GOMO DE PATĂTA
Potato Filling

4 large potatoes, mashed
2 well beaten eggs
1 ½ cups grated cheese (1/3 Parmesan type, 2/3 Cheddar
salt and pepper

 

Preparation: 20 minutes

 

Mix all ingredients together.

 

 

GÓMO DE KALAVĂSA
Pumpkin Filling

 

2 cups pumpkin
1 egg, well-beaten
1 ½ cups grated cheese (1/3 Parmesan type, 2/3 cup Cheddar)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

Preparation: 20 minutes

 

Boil pumpkin, then mash and drain thoroughly in fine muslin cloth. Add egg, cheese, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well.

 

 

SUPA DE PESKADO KON GWEVO Y LIMON

 

1 kg fish on the bone
1 stalk celery
1 onion
1 large carrot
6 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup rice, cleaned and rinsed
1 egg
juice of 1 lemon

 

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6 

 

Place fish, celery, onion, carrot, water and seasoning in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain. Return stock to pot with rice and simmer for 10 minutes until rice is tender, adding water when necessary. Beat egg with lemon juice. Just before serving, pour a few spoonfuls of soup over the egg, beating with a fork. Repeat, adding more hot soup. Remove soup from stove and pour egg mixture into the soup pot, stirring. Serve at once. Flakes or small portions of fish may be added with chopped parsley before serving.

 

THE SEPHARDI CULINARY TRADITION
Author Elsie Menasce
Food Photography by Volker Miros
Published by The Sephardi Cookbook Corporation Publishers