Encyclopedia of Jewish Food

A comprehensive A-to-Z guide to Jewish foods recipes and culinary traditions Food is more than just sustenance. Its a reflection of a communitys history culture and values. From India to Israel to the United States and everywhere in between Jewish food appears in many different forms and variations but all related in its fulfillment of kosher laws Jewish rituals and holiday traditions. The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food explores both unique cultural culinary traditions as well as those that unite the Jewish people. Alphabetical entriesfrom Afikomen and Almond to Yom Kippur and Zaatarcover ingredients dishes holidays and food traditions that are significant to Jewish communities around the world This easy-to-use reference includes more than 650 entries 300 recipes plus illustrations and maps throughout Both a comprehensive resource and fascinating reading this book is perfect for Jewish cooks food enthusiasts historians and anyone interested in Jewish history or food The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food is an informative and eye-opening guide to the culinary heart and soul of the Jewish people. Recipe Excerpt: Sufganiyot (Israeli Jelly Donuts) The first record of filling a fried piece of dough with jelly was in Germany in 1485. Within a century jelly doughnuts reached Poland where Jews called them ponchiks (from the Polish word for flower bud) and in some areas they became a popular Hanukkah treat filled with plum raspberry or rose petal jam. In the late 1800s Polish immigrants brought the ponchik to Israel where it eventually took the Hebrew name sufganiyah (sufganiyot--plural) from a spongy dough mentioned in the Talmud. At first jelly doughnuts were not widely eaten in Israel even on Hanukkah as they were difficult and intimidating for many people to make. Only a few homes and bakeries continued to prepare them. Then in the late 1920s the Israeli labor federation championed sufganiyot as a Hanukkah treat because they provided work - preparing transporting and selling the doughnuts -- for its members. Sufganiyot soon emerged as by far the most popular Israeli Hanukkah food filled not only with jelly but also dulce de leche halva crme espresso chocolate truffle and numerous exotic flavors. These jelly doughnuts are irresistible. The trick to making non-greasy fully-cooked doughnuts is working with the temperature of the oil. If the oil is not hot enough the dough will absorb oil; if it is too hot the outsides of the dough will brown before the insides have cooked. To test the temperature of the oil use a candy thermometer or drop a cube of soft white bread in the oil; it should brown in 35 seconds. A traditional sign of proper cooking is a light-colored ring around the center of the doughnut indicative that the fat was hot enough to push the doughnut to the surface before browning too much of the dough. A typical 3-inch jelly-doughnut is made from cup (2 ounces) dough and contains tablespoon (1 ounce) of jelly. Recipe Makes about 16 medium doughnuts Ingredients 1 (-ounce) package (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast or 1 (0.6-ounce) cake fresh yeast cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees for dry yeast; 80 to 85 degrees for fresh yeast) cup sugar or vanilla sugar cup milk soy milk or water 6 tablespoons vegetable oil vegetable shortening or softened butter 3 large eggs (or 2 egg yolks and 1 large egg) 1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest teaspoon lemon extract or 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional) About 3 cups (18 ounces) bread or unbleached all-purpose flour About 5 cups vegetable oil safflower oil sunflower oil peanut oil or vegetable shortening for deep-frying About 1 cup jelly or pastry cream Confectioners or sugar for dusting Directions 1. To make the dough: Dissolve the yeast in the water. Stir in 1 teaspoon sugar and let stand until foamy 5 to 10 minutes. Blend in the milk remaining sugar oil eggs salt optional nutmeg and 2 cups flour. Gradually beat in enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth soft dough. Cover and let rise until double in bulk about 1 hours. 2. Punch down the dough. Fold over and press together several times. Let stand for 15 minutes. Roll out the dough inch thick. Cut out 2- to 3-inch rounds. Place in a single layer on a lightly floured surface cover and let rise until double in bulk about 1 hour. 3. In a large deep pot heat at least 2 inches of oil over medium heat to 375 degrees. 4. Using an oiled spatula carefully lift the doughnuts and drop them top side down into the oil. If you drop them bottom side down the doughnuts are difficult to turn and do not puff up as well. The temperature of the oil should not drop below 350 degrees. Fry 3 or 4 at a time without crowding the pan turning once until golden brown on all sides about 1 minutes per side. Remove with a wire mesh skimmer or tongs and drain on a