Cast your mind back to the sun-drenched islands of Rhodes in the Aegean, three windmills are etched against the sea shore as you near the small fishing harbour. 

Let your thoughts stray a little further to where the walls of the old city enclosed the Jewish quarter, the Guderia, it was here that the aroma of herbs and spices, freshly baked pastries, deftly picked olives and preserved quince mingled. 

 

THE SEPHARDI CULINARY TRADITION

By ELSIE MENASCE

'The Sephardi Culinary Tradition' encapsulates and celebrates the story of a Jewish orthodox community which existed on Rhodes until World War II. 

This unique book is not only about nostalgia for an age lost forever, on the contrary, Elsie Menasce's intention is to revive the spirit of the past and to recreate the atmosphere and the delectable food which was so characteristic of the community of Rhodes. 

The Shalom Synagogue, one of the most ancient, has been declared a word heritage site. This year will see the unveiling of the memorial stone to commemorate this momentous event  

The recipes of the various delicacies and dishes bring back the days of pioty, love and happiness (de alegria) which were part of life on this beautiful Aegean island. 

Food Photography by VOLKER MIROS

BóYOS DE FíLA  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 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 balls rolling lightly (approximately 25 balls). Submerge the balls in oil in a shallow glass dish and allow to stand at leas 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 as. 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. 

GóMO DE ESPINÁKA   Spinach Filling

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

Preparation: 20 minutes

Remove stalks, wash spinach, shred finely and dry on absorbent paper. Mix all ingredients together.

 

TARÁMA  Fish Roe Whip

1 heaped tablespoon smoked cod's roe
3 thick slices of white bread
2 cups oil (approximately)
juice of 2 lemons
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
1 tablespoon vinegar (optional)

Preparation: 15-20 minutes Makes: 3 1/2 cups

Remove crusts, cover bread with water and soak. Squeeze dry. Place bread and roe in electric mixer or liquidizer and beat vigorously, adding oil gradually, a tablespoon at a time. As the mixture becomes a pale pink creamy paste, add lemon juice and oil alternately. Add garlic if desired. Adjust lemon to taste. Vinegar many be added for additional tartness. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. 

This delicious starter is served with black olives and thick toast or crisp, fresh bread. 

'Our grandmother's wasted nothing', explained Elsie, 'every scrap of goodness found its way to the table.

Families were large and a little had to go a long way. Peel, pith, skin, and stalk were turned into traditional delicacies. Some needing much time and love in the preparation and others so simple that they are ideal for a time pressured cook.

KALAVÁSA Baby Marrow Casserole

1 kg baby marrows
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
300 g veal shin or 4-6 chicken portions
1 cup water
3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation: 15 minutes  Cooking time: 1 1/4 hours Temperature: 180° C Serves: 4

Peel, wash and cut baby marrow into 2 cm pieces. Heat oil in pailon or a deep-sided pan and lightly fry onion and garlic. Add meat and stew for 20 minutes with a little water. Add tomatoes and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Add marrows, seasoning and simmer for 10 minutes more. Do not stir when cooking but shake the pot gently to prevent sticking so that the marrow pieces do not break. Transfer to a casserole and bake for 20 minutes at 180° C before serving. 

KYEFTÉS DE PRÁSA Leek Fritters

2 bunches young leeks (8 medium sized)
3 potatoes
2-3 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
celery or parsley chopped
oil to fry

Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Makes: 25

Remove course outer leaves of leeks. Cut in half lengthways and across, and wash carefully. Simmer with potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and squeeze excess water from leeks. Mince leeks and potatoes. Add remaining ingredients except oil and mix well. Shape into patties about 6 cm in diameter. Shallow fry in hot oil. If oil is not hot enough, the fritter will be greasy. Fry a few at a time to keep the oil temperature high . Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot or cold. Also served at Pesach.

BAKLAVÁ Layered Phyllo Sweet

600 g phyllo pastry
500 g almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups oil
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted in pan
Syrup
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups honey
1 1/2 cups sugar

Preparation: 1 hour  Cooking time: 1 hour Temperature: 180°C-160°C Makes: 60

Wipe almonds with a damp cloth. Toast in a hot oven, then grind. In a small bowl, mix ground almonds, cinnamon and cloves. Oil a large rectangular glass ovenware dish. Cut a sheet of phyllo to fit the dish, keeping the rest of the pastry covered. Dot pastry with oil, and sprinkle generously with almond filling. Lay a third sheet of phyllo, dot with oil and sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds. 

Repeat this procedure until all the phyllo has been used. work fast as phyllo dried out and crumbles. When complete, the pastry layers should be about 4 cm deep. Holding pastry down gently with left hand, cut baklava with a sharp knife into diamond shapes, first lengthways in parallel 3 cm strips then diagonally across. Heat the remaining oil until smoking and sprinkle down and across strips. The oil must sizzle and cover entire dish. Place 2 layers of phyllo over all. 

Bake at 180°C for 5 minutes. Reduce to 160°C and bake for a further hour. Boil water, honey and sugar in a saucepan until syrup spins a thread from a spoon. Cool. Remove uncut layer soft phyllo. Pour cool syrup over hot pastry, down and across grooves. 

Cool and seal airtight with foil or plastic wrap. Traditionally baklava was cooled and hot syrup poured over it today some cooks prefer to reverse this procedure.

With many thanks to the Sephardi Cook Book Corporation 
Represented by UCA STUDIOS PTY LTD
Cape Town
For further information contact SHOWCOOK