EDRS/Emanu-El

Recipe Book

odessa@edrs.org.uk
Pre Soviet Odessa had a vibrant and innovative Jewish life. People with Odessa connections include the
playwright and journalist Yitzchak Babel, Shalom Aleichem writer of Fiddler on the Roof and Zeev
Jabotinsky founder of the British Army's Jewish Legion and a Zionist leader. Odessa's Brodsky
Synagogue was one of the first Reform synagogues in the Russian Empire and was known throughout
the city because of its choir and cantors. Brodsky was not only frequented by the local Jewish
community, it was also a cultural centre attracting non Jewish people, including the famous opera singer
Feodor Chaliapin who sang there.

In the 1920s Soviet rule started to take hold. By 1935, Brodsky Synagogue had become a workers club,
Jewish schools and libraries had been closed and apart from a Yiddish theatre, most organised Jewish
life had stopped. Despite this, Yiddish was still heard on the streets.

Prior to World War II the city had 180,000 Jews. Many fled during the 1941 German/Romanian siege.
(In our last visit to Odessa an elderly lady mentioned that her mother had been a Communist party
official and her family were moved east). By the time the city was occupied, there were 80,000 to
90,000 Jews left. By the end of the war only 5,000 of those remained alive, following massacres and
deportation to the camps.

The end of the war saw past Jewish residents returning to Odessa and also new arrivals. However the
return of Soviet rule brought further attacks on Jewish life, including a prohibition on teaching Hebrew,
abolition of Yiddish theatre and publications and, in Odessa, a ban on baking Matzah for Pesach. In the
1960s the attacks took an anti-Zionist tone and after the 1967 6 Day War, Jewish emigration to Israel
and the USA gathered pace. By 1980 harsh restrictions on Jewish emigration were in place and
'refuseniks' (people denied permission to leave) were often forced to leave their jobs and take a more
menial one or were even imprisoned.

In the 1980s Exodus 2000 was formed in the UK as the Reform Movement's campaign to provide both
material and moral support to the refuseniks - our own Linda Kann was very much involved.

1991 saw the end of Soviet rule, which encouraged a resurgence of Jewish life, however the Soviet era
left a dearth of the institutions and Jewish knowledge that we here take for granted; although, with
outside support , synagogues and other Jewish establishments were formed. Exodus moved from its
the refusenik campaign to supporting the development of Reform communities. (EDRS first twinned
with Hatikvah synagogue in Kiev.)

In 2000, Emanu-El, our current twinned community in Odessa was formed. The twinning started in
2009 just after Julia Gris left Emanu-El to begin her rabbinic studies. She was ordained as a Rabbi at a
ceremony at EDRS in 2014 and returned to Odessa - she is one of just two Reform rabbis in Ukraine.

Sadly, late 2013/2014 saw political turmoil in Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea by Russia and civil war
in the East. In 2014 unrest in Odessa resulted in a fire which caused the deaths of 38 people - we
understand that this has been the only serious problem in Odessa, although the situation is fragile.
Odessa has felt the repercussions of the war; the economy has collapsed, cruise ships stopped visiting
and there has been an influx of refugees. In the winter, the city saw daily power cuts as the
government tried to conserve energy, which led to school closures and adjusted term times.

On a more positive note, a few cruise lines now have Odessa back on their itineraries. Rabbi Gris has
invigorated the Emanu-El community with hearty celebrations of the festivals and a wonderful winter
camp for the children. Despite a tumultuous 80+ years and difficult times at present, Jewish life in
Odessa is flourishing!! Your continued support is greatly appreciated!

If you'd like to find out more please e-mail odessa@edrs.org.uk or join our Facebook group:
EDRS/Emanu-el Twinning.
2
Contents

5. Starters

14. Main courses

34. Desserts

40. Cakes, biscuits and bread

49. Festivals
Starters

Roasted Pepper Soup 5

Creamed Mushroom Soup 6
Grandma’s Pickled Cucumbers 7
Mushroom and Walnut Chopped Liver 8
Yemenite Tehina 9
Eggplant Caviar – Odessa Style 10
French Bean Salad 11
Mushroom, spinach, poached egg on English Muffin 12

4
Roasted Pepper Soup
By Andie Lucas

Ingredients

6 red peppers
1 red onion
1 tablespoon ginger chopped
1 tablespoon garlic chopped
½ cup olive oil
2-3 cups water
½ cup coconut milk
2-3 tablespoons honey
½ cup roasted almonds

Method:

Place peppers on roasting tray, sprinkle with oil and roast until
blackened. Remove from oven and place in a sealed plastic bag to
cool for 20 minutes.
Fry in 3-4 tablespoons of oil onion until brown, add ginger and garlic
and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Peel roasted peppers and chop. Add to onions, ginger and garlic and
cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.
Blend until smooth, add coconut milk, salt and pepper.
Boil and add honey and rest of water.
Serve adding a sprinkle of roasted almonds.

Serves 6 people 5
Creamed Mushroom Soup
By Rabbi Julia Gris

Voted by the children of Emanu-El

their favourite soup!

Ingredients

300g potatoes
600g mushrooms
150g onions
500ml cream (10% fat)
150g grated cheese
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste.
Dill or parsley

Method:

Peel potatoes and boil until soft. Drain the water.

Slice onions and mushrooms then fry in butter with salt to taste.
Combine potatoes, onions and mushrooms. Blend then add warm
cream and vegetable stock if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil.
Add grated cheese and immediately remove from heat.
Decorate with chopped herbs and small crackers or garlic bread.

6
Grandma’s Pickled Cucumbers
By Laura & Claire Lewis

Ingredients

Small cucumbers
1 cup of vinegar
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
½ handful of pickling spice
garlic

Method:

Cut cucumbers into chunks and put into jars.

Boil all other ingredients.

When cool add to cucumbers.

Leave for a few days before eating.

7
Mushroom and Walnut ‘Chopped Liver’
By Rabbi Kraft

Ingredients

3 tablespoons oil
200g mushrooms chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 cup walnuts chopped
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon water

Method:

1. Sauté mushrooms and onion in oil for 8 minutes.

2. Pour into a blender or food processor adding walnuts, seasoning &

water.

3. Blend until smooth.

Makes 1 cup.

Serves 4
8
Jo’s Yemenite Tehina
By Jo Sigalov

Ingredients

1 jar tehina paste

1 jar cold water
2 lemons – juice
Garlic – as much as you can bear
Parsley – lots
Salt – to taste
Olive oil – generous pour

Method:

Throw everything in the food processor.

Blend.
Leave to thicken all day or overnight.

9
Eggplant Caviar – Odessa Style
By Tamila Fershter

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants (aubergine)

1 red bell pepper
2 medium ripe tomatoes
1 small onion
2-3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch of parsley

Method:

Wash eggplants and peppers and bake in the oven until the skin on
the peppers are charred and eggplants are tender.
Put an incision crosswise on the tomatoes and pour over boiling
water. Remove the peel and finely chop the tomatoes.
Add finely chopped onion and garlic . Peel pepper and finely chop.
Gently remove pulp of eggplant with a spoon and chop.
Mix everything and season with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Add chopped parsley.

Enjoy the taste of Odessa!

10
French Bean Salad
By Andie Lucas

Ingredients

300g asparagus, french beans

and frozen broad beans
50g baby spinach
1 shallot peeled and sliced thinly
1 red chill finely chopped
½ tsp sesame oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tsp salt

Method:

Cook asparagus and frozen beans until al dente.

Transfer French beans to iced water.
Blanch broad beans for 2 minutes.
Dry French beans and asparagus with kitchen towel and place in
serving dish with broad beans.
Just before serving stir in other ingredients.

Serves 4 – 6 people – can be either a starter or side salad.

For a milky meal a sprinkling of parmesan cheese can be added when

serving.
11
Mushroom , Spinach & Poached Egg on an
English Muffin
By Vivien Lewis

Ingredients

400g large mushrooms sliced

100g baby spinach
1 onion peeled and sliced thinly
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt, pepper, dill to taste
Sour cream or mayonnaise
4 eggs
4 English muffins or bread rolls
sliced in half

Method:

Fry garlic and onion in oil until brown.

Add spinach, sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper and dill.
Cook until liquid has evaporated. Add a tablespoon of sour cream or
mayonnaise.
Poach eggs to your liking.
In a separate pan cook spinach in a little water until wilted.
Cut in half and toast muffins
Place muffin on plate. Then a layer of spinach followed by
mushrooms, then a poached egg.
Decorate with a spoonful of sour cream or mayonnaise.

Serves 4 12
Main courses
Beef Casserole 14
Lamb Chops with Prunes, Apricots & Onions 15
Mackerel (Odessa Style) 16
Oriental Salmon 17
Salmon baked in fresh mint (nana), garlic & honey 18
Linda’s Fish Dish 19
Boeuf a l’orange 20
Zavyvantsi (very special Odessa dish) 21
Salad ‘Garnet Bracelet’ 22
Mexican Chicken 23
Chicken with Cider 24
Shepherd’s Pie 25
Vegetarian Chilli Mince 26
Layered Aubergine Bake 27
Shakshuka 28
Bean Pot 29
Tuna Flan 30
Karen’s Baked Rice (with Chicken) 31
Baked Brown Rice 32
13
Beef Casserole
By Frimette Carr

Ingredients

450g stewing beef

420g can Jersey Potatoes
225g frozen mixed winter
vegetables
Small can of tomatoes
Frozen onion pieces
Dried mixed herbs
1 pint vegetable stock
Seasoning to taste
2 pints of boiled water

Method:

Put vegetables at bottom of casserole dish (4 pints).

Put tomatoes and onions on top of vegetables.
Cut potatoes into small pieces and place on top.
Put beef on top of potatoes.
Mix stock with mixed herbs and seasoning and add to casserole with
another 2 pints of boiling water.
Cover and cook in oven at 250° for 1 hour.
Can be kept simmering on 100° for up to 5 hours.

14
Lamb Chops with Prunes, Apricots & Onions
By Julian Markson

Ingredients

6 Barnsley Chops (or you could

use 12 normal lamb chops
4 large onions chopped coarsely
1 cup raisins or sultanas
225g prunes roughly chopped
225g dried apricots roughly
chopped
1 cup decent white wine (if you
would not drink it, then do not
use it in cooking)
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tsp salt

Method:

Place chops in oven proof dish.

Add the onions and raisins/sultanas on top and around the chops tightly. Then add the
prunes and apricots on top of the onions on top of the chops.
Mix the wine, honey and salt, and pour over the meat, fruit and veg.
Cover with foil and cook in the oven at 180 C (Fan 160 C or 350 F) for about an hour.
At this point you could remove the dish from the oven, allow to cool and keep in the fridge to
allow the flavours to seep into the chops. You could (although I did not try this) freeze the
meat, fruit and vegetables until you needed it.
If you are cooking straight through, remove the foil and bake for a further 40 minutes at the
same temperature until the chops are glazed and tender. Baste as often as you can (at least
twice is good. More is better).
Serve the chops and arrange the fruit and vegetables on the side. Pour sauce over the
meat. (May need heating)
If the meat has been kept in the fridge, or frozen, allow to thaw completely and reheat for
about one hour. Again baste frequently.

Serves 6
15
Mackerel (Odessa style)
By Galina Rybchak

Ingredients

1 Mackerel (whole)
1 lemon
1 bunch of parsley
Salt
Pepper

Method:

Cut along the mackerel then wash inside.

Insert a bunch of parsley into the fish.
Cut across upper part of fish and put a slice of lemon into insert.
Put on a baking sheet and bake in oven at 180 degrees for 15-20
minutes.

16
Oriental Salmon
By Elizabeth Manches

Ingredients

4 salmon steaks or fillets

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 juice of orange
1 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp five spice powder
2 tsp honey
1 crushed clove of garlic
1 tsp grated ginger

Method:

Place salmon in ovenproof dish.

Combine all other ingredients and pour over salmon.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, gas mark 4.

Goes well with Chinese noodles and stir fry vegetables.

17
Salmon baked in fresh mint (nana), garlic
& honey
By Chani Smith

Ingredients

1.5 – 2 kg salmon fillet

Marinade:
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup of chopped mint leaves
20 small cloves of garlic sliced
4 tablespoons honey
½ cup olive oil
Ground sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and soak salmon in it for 4
hours in a tray which has been covered with foil or baking paper.
Heat oven to 180°.
Bake salmon for 18-20 minutes uncovered. It will brown a little
because of the honey.

Serves 8 – 10 people

18
Linda’s Fish Dish
By Linda Langer

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion
4 thick fillets cod or haddock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
200g crème fraiche
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
250g brown cap mushrooms
1 tablespoon sherry
Flour for dusting
50g parmesan cheese
Parsley

Method:

Peel, halve and finely slice onion. Fry gently in butter and oil for
approximately 10 minutes until translucent and beginning to brown.
Dust fish with seasoned flour and arrange neatly in an ovenproof dish.
Slice mushrooms, add to pan and fry for approximately 3 minutes.
Stir in soy sauce, sherry, crème fraiche and pour over fish.
Heat oven to 190°.
Grate parmesan over the top of the fish and cook for 40 minutes until
golden brown.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

19
Boeuf a l’orange
By Elizabeth Manches

Ingredients

3 tablespoons oil
400g braising steak
200g onions
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon syrup
2 oranges
1 tablespoon tomato puree
3 tablespoons brandy
½ pint beef stock
100g mushrooms
Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat oil in pan, fry meat and transfer to a casserole.

Fry onions and garlic then put in casserole.
Add flour to the pan and cook for 1 minutes, add stock and bring to
the boil.
Thinly peel rind from orange and cut into think strips. Add to sauce
together with juice from oranges. Add tomato puree, brandy, syrup
and salt and pepper.
Pour over beef, cover and cook for 2 hours on Gas Mark 3.
Add mushrooms, check seasoning and add more stock if necessary.
Cook for a further 30 minutes.

20
Zavyvantsi (very special Odessa dish)
By Galyna Rybchak

Ingredients

Chicken fillet, cut into layers

500g mushrooms
1 onion
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Chop mushrooms and onions then fry in oil with vegetable oil.
Beat chicken until thin.
Season with salt and pepper.
Make an envelope with the chicken then fill with fried mushrooms and
onion.
Fold chicken envelopes close to each other in baking dish.
Bake until done (30 minutes).
Serve with mushroom sauce.

21
Salad ‘Garnet Bracelet’
By Rabbi Julia Gris
My English friends love this
Russian salad for the rich taste
and poetic name

Ingredients

500g potatoes
500g beetroot
400g carrots
400-500 g chicken (boneless
fillets)
1-2 onions
250-300g mayonnaise
4-5 eggs
1-2 bay leaves
walnuts
Pomegranate seeds.
Vegetable oil

Method:

Wash beetroot, carrots and potatoes well and put in a put of cold
water. Bring to the boil and simmer until soft. Leave to cool then peel
and grate the vegetables on a coarse grater in different bowls.
Boil chicken in boiling water until cooked (15-20 minutes). 10 minutes
before end of cooking add salt and bay leaf. When cool cut into small
cubes or strips.
Hard boil eggs. Place in cold water to cool then peel and grate them.
Peel the onion, chop finely and fry in vegetable oil until soft.
Chop walnuts.
Place a glass in middle of plate then spread layers of salad around the
glass. Finish with the pomegranate seeds on the top. Remove glass.
Tip: dress with the salad with mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste.

22
Mexican Chicken
By Elizabeth Manches

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts or legs

3 tablespoons flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground black pepper
4 tablespoons oil
1 chopped onion
¼ tsp oregano
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcester sauce
2 tablespoons Tabasco
½ pint water
¼ pint tomato ketchup
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chilli powder

Method:

Shake chicken in flour, salt, paprika and black pepper.

Brown chicken in foaming oil and place in baking dish.
Add onion to oil and cook until soft.
Add remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes over a gentle heat.
Pour mixture over chicken, cover and bake until tender. Keep well
basted.

Goes well with rice and salad.

23
Chicken with Cider
By Linda Kann
Ingredients

3 tablespoons oil
1 whole chicken
1 chopped onion
A few spring onions
½ a cup of chopped red and
green pepper.
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon flour
Salt and pepper to taste
½ level tsp ginger
1 tsp paprika
¾ pint cider
1 tablespoon tomato puree
Pinch of sugar

Method:

Coat chicken with flour, paprika, salt and pepper.

Heat oil in frying pan and fry chicken until browned. Place in chicken
in casserole.
Fry vegetables for 3 – 4 minutes.
Add flour and seasoning if required. Add cider, puree and sugar and
cook gently for 5 minutes.
Pour sauce over chicken, cover and cook on 180° for 1 to 2 hours.

24
Shepherd’s Pie
By Vivien Lewis

Ingredients

1 onion
500g beef mince
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
500ml beef stock
900g potatoes
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Seasoning to taste
Spice and herbs to taste

Method:

Cut potatoes into small chunks and place in pan of boiling water. Boil
for 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain leaving a little of the water. Add
seasoning and mayonnaise and mash.

Chop and fry onion for a few minutes. Add mince and brown.
Add tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, stock, spices, herbs and
seasoning. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes.

Place meat first in dish then add a layer of mashed potato on top.

Bake for 45 minutes at 160° until brown.

25
Vegetarian Chilli Mince
By Andie Lucas

Ingredients

3 pkts Quorn mince

2 tins chopped tomatoes with
chilli
1 carton plain passata
1 chopped onion fried
2 tablespoons parev beef powder
Garlic, chilli and salt to taste
6 squares of plain chocolate
1 can kidney beans

Method:

Mix all ingredients together and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Makes enough filling for 60 people for jacket potatoes. Serve with
sour cream.

Mixture can also be used (without kidney beans) as a filling for a

vegetarian lasagne.

26
Layered Aubergine Bake
By Linda Kann
Ingredients

3 baking potatoes (600g in total)

chopped into chunks
1 aubergine sliced thickly
Olive oil
500g spinach
Juice of ½ lemon
200g feta cheese
Pepper
1 tsp thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic sliced
Handful of parsley roughly
chopped
100ml single cream
20g hard cheese, e.g. Parmesan
or cheddar finely grated

Method:

Heat pan of water, simmer potatoes when boiled for 15 minutes.

Drain in colander and run cold water over them. When cool slice thickly.
Fry aubergine slices on both sides in a little olive oil until brown – set aside.
Pop the spinach and lemon juice in a big pan with a lid and cook until wilted.
Preheat oven to 160°, gas mark 4.
Using a fork break up feta cheese, season with pepper and add thyme.
Place in an ovenproof dish layers of potatoes, then most of the feta, then
spinach, then aubergine, sprinkle with remaining feta. Sprinkle on garlic, parsley
or some cream. Make sure garlic is not on top otherwise it may burn.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes, scatter the parmesan or cheddar over the top and
bake for a further 15 minutes.

Nice served with salad.

27
Shakshuka
By Kay Bagon

Ingredients
By Kay Bagon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown or white onion, peeled and
diced.
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
4 cuts diced tomatoes or 2 cans (14oz
each)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tsp mild chilli powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste.
5 eggs
½ tablespoon chopped parsley
Method:

Slowly warm olive oil in pan. Add onion and sauté for a few minutes until onion
begins to soften.
Add garlic, paprika and chilli. Continue to sauté.
Add bell pepper and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
Add tomatoes and tomato paste, stir and simmer over a medium heat for 5-7
minutes until it starts to reduce.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Crack the eggs one at a time directly into the tomato mixture making sure to
space them evenly over the sauce.
Cover the pan. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the eggs are cooked and the
sauce has reduced slightly.

Can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Serve with warm crusty bread or
pitta or a green salad for a light easy meal.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes
Serves 5 – 6

28
Bean Pot
By Marilyn Raymond

Ingredients

3 drained cans of different beans

or 2¼ lb mixed dried beans
2 rough chopped onions
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 sliced carrots
2 sliced sticks celery
1 can chopped tomatoes
8oz mushrooms
1 tbsp Worcester sauce
½ tsp chilli powder
½ pt vegetable or chicken stock
bay leaf & seasoning
Chopped parsley as garnish
Grated parmesan to serve

Method:

Fry onions and garlic to soften.

Add carrots and celery and fry for a further few minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, except mushrooms.
Cover and place in oven 350ºF/160ºC/gas 4 for 1 hour.
Add ¼ or halved mushrooms and cook 15 minutes before end.
Do not let dry out. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with Parmesan &
chunks of bread!

I often add fresh vegetables (beans & courgettes) and a can of sweet
corn towards the end so they don’t get overcooked. I have added
frozen broad beans and peas at times.

29
Tuna Flan
By Val Bard

Ingredients

150g short crust pastry

1 x 200g tin tuna
1 medium onion chopped
25g butter
3-4 tbsp mayonnaise
Salt & pepper

Topping
50g plain flour
25g butter
75g grated cheese
30g flaked almonds

Method:

Line a flan ring or dish with pastry.

Soften onion in butter & drain.
In a bowl mix mayo, onion & tuna, season well.
Place in pastry case.
Rub 25g butter into flour to make crumble & mix in grated cheese,
scatter over filling, and then almonds on top.
Cook at 375f 190c for about 30 minutes until brown & firm

30
Karen’s Baked Rice (with Chicken)
By Karen Senitt

Ingredients:

1 cup of baked rice

1 onion diced
Seasoning
3 cups of hot water or stock
Drizzle of olive oil

Optional:
Chicken Pieces

Method:

Place all ingredients in a baking dish and bake at 180° in a fan assisted
oven (covered for first 45 minutes and uncovered for 45 minutes).

If doing with chicken pieces season and place the pieces on top of the
rice and cook together

31
Baked Brown Rice
By Jo Sigalov

Ingredients:

350g brown rice

1.5 pints (750 ml) stock
(preferably onion)
50g unsalted butter, cubed
1 tsp (5ml) kosher salt
Crushed garlic to taste

Method:

Heat oven to 190°.

Place rice into large glass or ceramic roasting dish.
Pour stock over the rice
Scatter over the butter and salt.
Stir to combine.
Cover tightly with foil.
Bake in middle of oven for an hour.
Remove from oven, remove foil and fluff with fork.
Serve immediately.

32
Desserts

Apple Pudding with a Twist of Toffee 34

Pears in Puff Pastry 35
Lokshen Kugel 36
Baileys Bread and Butter Pudding 37
Decadent Chocolate Truffle Torte 38

33
Apple Pudding with a Twist of Toffee
By Maureen Gorb
Ingredients

SCONE MIX:
150g self-raising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon caster sugar
43gbutter (or tomor)
40g sultanas or chopped dates
200g Bramley apples (1 large)
chopped into small pieces or
coarsely grated
6 tablespoons milk (or soya milk).
TOFFEE MIX:
4 tablespoons syrup or honey
(can mix)
25g butter (or tomor)
25g brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 teaspoons water.

Method:

Melt together toffee ingredients with 2 – 3 teaspoons of water.

For the scone mix, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and rub in
butter, then stir in sultanas or dates and apple.
Mix with 6 tablespoons milk to make fairly soft dough.
Pour some toffee mix into tin to thoroughly cover base, then spoon in
heaps of half the scone mix evenly, add some more of the toffee mix
then the remainder of scone mix, pressing down lightly and pour on
rest of toffee mix.
Put tin or mould on baking sheet, bake at GAS No.5 or ELECTRICITY
375F degrees (190C) for 35-40 mins until well risen and browned on
top.
Turn out and serve hot with custard (can be SOYA or make with SOYA
Milk) or leave to cool in mould but ‘ease’ sides whilst still warm. 34
Pears in Puff Pastry
By Rabbi Julia Gris

Ingredients

6 pears
500g Puff pastry
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp pine nuts
100g raisins
50g walnuts
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter
1 egg

Method:

Soak raisins in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Grind walnuts, mix with raisins, honey, pine nuts and lemon juice.
Heat butter, add nut mixture and simmer for 5-7 minutes on medium
heat. Cool and drain excess liquid.
Wash pears, dry and cut in half. Carefully remove core. Do not
remove tails from pears. Place walnut-honey stuffing in each half and
put together to form a whole pear.
Roll out pastry to 5mm thickness. Cut into squares to cover pear. Cut
dough petals to decorate.
Place pears on floured baking sheet, coat with beaten egg and bake in
preheated oven at 180 degrees.
Decorate with icing sugar or chocolate syrup.
35
Lokshen Kugel
By Rabbi Kraft

Ingredients

300g noodles
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup raisins
¾ cup coarsely chopped nuts any
other kind of dried fruit or
combinations of dried fruit mix
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 eggs well beaten
¾ cup butter

Method:

Cook noodles as directed on package & drain well.

Add sugar, raisins, nuts, salt & eggs.
Melt butter and grease baking pan / dish, then pour balance into
noodle mixture.
Blend well & spread mixture into pan/ dish.
Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon.
Bake 375F./190C. degrees for 55 minutes or until evenly brown.

36
Baileys Bread and Butter Pudding
By Vivien Lewis

Ingredients

150g white bread

50g butter
60g sultanas
3 eggs
40g caster sugar
300ml double cream
300ml milk
4 tablespoons Baileys

Method:

Grease dish with a knob of butter.

Butter bread on both sides and arrange in dish overlapping each piece.
Sprinkle sultanas between slices of bread.
Beat eggs and sugar until creamy, add cream, milk and Baileys. Pour
over bread.
Cover with cling film then press down until bread is submerged.
Stand for 20 minutes.
Place dish in roasting tin and add water until half way up the sides of
the dish.
Cook for 40 – 50 minutes on Gas Mark 4, 180°.

Serves 6
37
Decadent Truffle Torte
By Linda Kann

Ingredients

250g dark chocolate

2 tblsp golden syrup
Large carton double cream
4 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Cocoa powder for dusting

Method:

Line deep flan dish.

Break chocolate in bowl, add syrup and ¼ of the cream. Stand over
pan of hot water and leave to melt.
Stir to combine and leave to cool.
Pour rest of cream into large bowl, add coffee and cinnamon.
Whisk until almost solid.
Fold in chocolate cream and mix well.
Pour into flan dish and put in fridge for at least 2 hours.
Turn out onto plate and dust with cocoa powder.

Serves 12.

38
 Apple and Cinnamon Cholla 40
Sochniki (Russian Cookies with Cottage Cheese) 41
Old fashioned ‘Kichel’ 42
Candied Peel, Almond and Oatmeal Biscuits 43
Belgium Biscuit Cake 44
Fruit Cake 45
Brownies with a Raspberry and Cheesecake Topping 46
Bertha Appleby’s Chocolate Fridge Cake 47

Cakes, biscuits and breads

39
Apple and Cinnamon Cholla
By Andie Lucas

Ingredients
2 ½ tsp instant yeast
¾ cup sugar
2 cups boiling water
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
6 cups flour
3 tsp cinnamon
4 tablespoons honey
1 apple, peeled and cut into
small chunks
1 egg

Method:

(makes 2 chollas)

Combine yeast, sugar and hot water. Rest for 15 minutes until bubbly.
Add flour 1 cup at a time. After 3 cups add oil, cinnamon and honey.
Add rest of flour.
Mix until dough becomes sticky. Knead for 10-12 minutes.
Flatten dough and fold in apple pieces.
Place in oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a
warm dry area for 1 hour. Dough should double in size.
Punch down and leave to rise for 1 hour.
Pre heat oven to 180°.
Punch down dough and separate into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a
long sausage and plait 3 pieces, pinch ends together.
Place on baking sheet, glaze with egg, leave to rise for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt and bake for 30 – 35 minutes until brown.
40
Sochniki (Russian Cookies with Cottage Cheese)
By Rabbi Julia Gris

Sochniki is a succulent patty

Ingredients

200g wheat flour

(40g dough, 240g stuffing)
1 egg
30g icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla
50g sour cream
200g cottage cheese
100g butter
¼ tsp baking powder
1 egg yolk for the glaze

Method:

For the filling:

Using beaters mix cottage cheese, vanilla, flour, sour cream, egg yolks
and 1/4 icing sugar until powder dissolved.

For the dough:

Beat the butter and sugar then add remaining egg, then add the flour
and baking powder.
Form into shortbread dough.
Roll out into a sausage and divide into 6 parts. Then roll each piece
into an oval. Place a teaspoon of filling on piece of dough then cover
with another piece and seal.
Place Sochniki on a greased baking sheet and glaze with egg yolk.
Bake in preheated oven 190 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Sprinkle icing sugar on to serve. 41
Old fashioned ‘Kichel’
By Jo Sigalov

Ingredients

Cookies:
100g margarine
100g caster sugar
1 egg
½ lemon grated rind (or 1 tsp
(5ml) almond essence
22g self raising flour

Coating:
Granulated sugar to sprinkle

Method:

Mix all ingredients together.

With wet hands roll to walnut sized balls.
Roll balls in granulated sugar.
Place well apart on baking trays and flatten gently with a fork leaving
an impression in each.
Bake at 170° for about 12 minutes.

42
Candied Peel, Almond and Oatmeal Biscuits
By Marilyn Raymond

Ingredients

100g rolled oats

100g butter
50g caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla
50g light brown sugar
1 beaten egg
1 tbsp flour
50g chopped candied peel
Pinch salt
25g flaked almonds

Method:

Preheat oven 170C/325F Gas Mk 3.

Line baking tray with non stick baking parchment.
Mix oats with the two sugars, flour and salt.
Melt the butter and while still hot pour over the mixed dry
ingredients. Stir until evenly mixed.
Add vanilla and beaten egg. Mix and then finally add the candied
chopped peel and almonds.
Drop teaspoons of the mixture onto the baking sheet, they will spread
slightly so space well.
Bake for 10/12 minutes until golden brown.
Let them rest for a few moments and then lift off onto a rack to finish
cooling.
Makes approximately 40 biscuits. 43
Belgium Biscuit Cake
By Kay Bagon

Ingredients

200g chocolate
2 tablespoons golden syrup
125g butter or tomor
80g raisins
80g cherries
225g digestive biscuits

Method:

Roughly crush the biscuits.

Place chocolate, tomor or butter, golden syrup in a pan and gently
melt over a pan of boiling water or in a microwave.
Add the crushed biscuits, chopped raisins and cherries.
Turn into a 7” greased loose bottomed cake tin and flatten down with
back of spoon.
Chill for an hour until firm.

44
Fruit Cake
By Val Bard

Ingredients
150g dark brown sugar
100g margarine
25g cherries
50g ground almonds.
400g mixed fruit
Small tin crushed pineapple
200g self raising flour
2 beaten eggs

Method:

Place everything except eggs & flour into a saucepan, boil & cool.
Add eggs & flour.
Bake at 150 for 1 hour & then 120 for 45 minutes in a round or square
tin.

45
Brownies with a Raspberry Cheesecake Topping
By Andie Lucas

Ingredients
200g plain flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
300g dark chocolate
200g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
220g light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:

300g full fat cream cheese
2 egg yolks
70g caster sugar
125g raspberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°.

Line tin with parchment approx 23cm x 33cm.
Sift flour, cocoa and salt together.
In a pan gently melt chocolate and butter. Whisk in caster and brown
sugar. Take off heat.
Whisk eggs and vanilla into chocolate mixture until slightly thickened.
Fold in flour and pour into tin.
To make the topping beat cream cheese, egg yolks and caster sugar
together. Place spoonfuls on the brownie and make swirls using a
knife. Sprinkle on the raspberries.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.
Cool then cut into squares.
46
Bertha Appleby’s Chocolate Fridge Cake
Jo Sigalov (Bertha was a founder member of EDRS)

Ingredients

100g margarine
1 tbsp (15ml) golden syrup
3 tbsp (45ml) drinking chocolate
250g Marie/Rich Tea biscuits,
crushed.
100g milk or plain cooking
chocolate
1 tbsp (15ml) brandy/sherry

Method:

Melt margarine, syrup and drinking chocolate in boil over boiling

water (or in microwave).
Liquidise biscuits and add to melted mix.
Add sherry or brandy.
Place in well greased loose bottom tin.
Press down well, cover with melted cooking chocolate.
Leave to cool in fridge, preferably all day or overnight.

47
 Cheesy Latkes for Chanukah 49
Frittata for Pesach 50
Passover Bagels 51
Chocolate and Almond Cake for Pesach 52
Apple and Almond Pudding for Pesach 53
Pesach Chocolate Brownies 54
Old Italian Pesach Carrot Cake 55
Cake ‘Cheerful Passover’ 56
Frozen Coffee Liqueur Parfait for Passover 57
Guiltless Cheesecake for Shavuot 58
Guilty Cheesecake for Shavuot 59
Duck with Oranges for Rosh Hashanah 60
Honey Cake for Rosh Hashanah 61

Festivals

48
Cheesy Latkes for Chanukah
By Dawn Behrman

Ingredients
4 cups grated potatoes (drain to
remove excess water)
1/4 cup onions
1/4 cup parsley
1 clove garlic crushed
1/2 cup grated strong cheese
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons of any spices that are
your favourite
4 tablespoons corn flour
1 beaten egg

Method

Mix all ingredients together

Heat oil in a frying pan

Place 1 heaped tablespoon of mixture into oil and flatten slightly

Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Serve with sour cream

49
Frittata for Pesach
By Rabbi Julia Gris

Ingredients

3 pieces of broken matzah soaked

in milk or water
6 eggs
4 tbsp sugar
100g candied fruit
100g pine nuts
1-2 tbsp cocoa powder
10-12g vanilla
Cinnamon to taste

Method:

Mix all ingredients.

Fry in pan in vegetable oil for 8 – 10 mins on one side.

Turn over and fry the other side.

50
Passover Bagels
By Jo Sigalov

Ingredients

2 cups of water
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp caster sugar
1/3 cup of oil
2 cups of fine matza meal
3 large eggs
1 egg to glaze

Method:

Boil water in a pan, then add salt, sugar and oil.

Add matza meal in one go and stir together. Take off the heat and
leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Add eggs one by one beating well with a wooden spoon before each
egg being added.
With wet hands take a handful of the mix and mould into a ‘sausage’
shape and join the ends to make a circle (mit hole).
Glaze with beaten egg and bake in a medium oven (180°) for about
30 minutes. 51
Chocolate & Almond Cake for Pesach
By Linda Kann

Ingredients
100g dark chocolate (5oz if less
than 72% cocoa)
75g unsalted butter
75g caster sugar
75g ground almonds
3 eggs separated
1 tablespoon rum or brandy
1 tablespoon black coffee

Method:

Break chocolate into small pieces and melt with brandy or rum and
coffee.
Stir chocolate mixture and add to butter, sugar, ground almonds in a
saucepan over a low heat.
Stir for a few minutes until ingredients are well blended. Take off the
heat, stir in beaten egg yolks then fold in stiffly whipped egg whites.
Place in greased or lined tin (7-8 inches diameter).
Cook Gas Mark 2, 150° for 40 minutes.
52
Apple & Almond Pudding for Pesach
By Vivien Lewis

Ingredients
450g Bramley cooking apples
50g soft brown sugar
100g ground almonds
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
Cinnamon to taste
Sultanas (optional)

Method:
Cook apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, sultanas and 2 tablespoons of
water until apples are soft.
Place apples in baking dish.
Mix cream, butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs
then fold in ground almonds. Spread over apples.
Bake for 1 hour, gas mark 4, 180°.

Serves 4 - 6
53
Pesach Chocolate Brownies
By Anita Henning

Ingredients

3 eggs
4 fl oz oil
175gm caster sugar
50g cake matzah meal
25g cocoa powder

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°.
Grease baking tray.
Whisk eggs and oil together.
Whisk in sugar.
Sieve in all other ingredients and stir well.
Pour into tin and smooth over.
Bake for 25 minutes.

Can be served whole or cut into squares. Delicious served warm with
ice cream. 54
Old Italian Pesach Carrot Cake
)

By Jo Sigalov

Ingredients

Cake:
3 tbsp (15ml) pine nuts
250g coarsely grated carrots
75g sultanas
4 tbsp (60ml) Navy rum (or other
liqueur for Pesach)
150g caster sugar
150ml non-virgin olive oil
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
3 eggs
250g ground almonds
½ tsp (5ml) nutmeg
1 medium lemon, zest and juice

Frosting:
250g mascarpone
2 tsp (10ml) icing sugar
2 tbsp (30ml) Navy rum (or other
liqueur for Pesach)

Method:
Heat oven to 160°
Line 23cm (9”) spring form tin with baking parchment and grease sides with olive
oil.
Toast pine nuts in frying pan until golden then set aside.
Grate carrots and sit them on a double layer of kitchen paper to soak up the excess
liquid. Set aside.
Simmer sultanas in the rum for 3 minutes.
Whisk sugar in oil until creamy and airy then whisk in vanilla and eggs.
Fold in almonds, nutmeg, carrots, sultanas with rum, zest and juice of lemon.
Scrape mixture into tin and smooth the surface.
Sprinkle pine nuts over the top.
Bake 30-40 minutes. Check with a skewer until it comes out (more or less) clean.
Sit tin on a rack for 10 minutes then remove cake from tin to cool.
Once cold mix together mascarpone, icing sugar and rum. Either frost cake or serve
with it.
Cake ‘Cheerful Passover’
By Vera Makogon

Ingredients

15 sheets of matzah

Custard:
1 litre Milk
3 Eggs
2 tbsp Cornstarch
1 cup Sugar
100g Butter
2 sachets of Vanilla Sugar
Optional: Dried Fruit

Method:
Mix eggs, sugar and cornstarch. Pour mixture into boiling milk stirring
constantly. On a low heat bring to the boil until cream thickens. Remove
from heat and add butter and vanilla sugar and mix well until dissolved.
Leave custard to cool down.
Wet the matzah in cold water and leave for 10 minutes.
Make cake by layering soft matzah and custard.
Decorate with diced matzah.
Leave overnight in fridge.
56
Frozen Coffee Liqueur Parfait for
Passover (can be Parev)
By Jo Sigalov

Ingredients

Meringues:
3 egg whites
150g caster sugar
1 tsp (5ml) potato flour

15ml instant coffee

10ml caster sugar
10ml water (boiled)
30ml coffee liqueur

15 fl oz double cream or
12 fl oz if using Parev whip

Method:

Make meringues mixing sugar and potato flour.

Whisk eggs until peaks then add the sugar mix a tablespoon at a time
whisking between.
Dollop onto well greased and lined baking tins, well spaced apart.
Bake in oven for an hour 140°.
When cold break into chunks.
Mix together sugar, coffee and water, add liqueur and chill.
Whip cream to soft peaks, add coffee mix, then meringue bits.
57
Free for at least 24 hours.
Guiltless Cheesecake for Shavuot
By Lisa Bard

Ingredients

3 eggs
500g cottage cheese
500g very low fat fromage frais
2 tablespoons lemon curd
9 tablespoons of sweetener (or
sugar

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients together until smooth.

​2. Bake in the oven at 180 for one hour. Leave in the oven to cool.
This cheesecake is very wet and will dry out once left in the fridge in its
baking tin overnight after baking.

58
Guilty Cheesecake for Shavuot
By Lisa Bard

Ingredients:

Base
200g digestive biscuits
​75g butter

Topping
125g cream cheese
175g mascarpone
150ml double cream
250g white chocolate or caramac

Method:

Base
1. Crush the digestive biscuits
2. Melt the butter
3. Mix together and line the baking tin

Topping
1. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie
2. Mix in all other ingredients
3. Pour over the top of the biscuit base
4. Put in the fridge - at least overnight - to set

59
Duck with Oranges for Rosh Hashanah
By Galina Rybchak

Ingredients
2kg duck (whole)
2 oranges
Salt
Pepper
Mustard

Method:

Season duck with mustard, salt and pepper inside and out.
Oranges incised on the cross in front and behind.
Stuff duck with the oranges and leave to marinate for 2-3 hours.
Place duck in a roasting bag and bake in the oven for 1 ½ - 2 hours at 180
– 200 degrees.

60
Honey Cake for Rosh Hashanah
By David Lewis

Ingredients
400g honey
400g plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 glass of oil
150g sugar
3 eggs
1 glass of tepid water

Method:

Warm oil and honey then add sugar.

Mix bicarbonate of soda with water.

Add eggs, flour and spices to honey mixture.

Add bicarbonate of soda and water to mixture.

Bake for 1 hour on 150°.

Serves 4 - 6 61
Our thanks to the members of Edgware & District and
Reform Synagogue in London and Emanu-El Congregation
in Odessa, Ukraine for supplying the recipes for this joint
project.

We hope you enjoy the recipes and welcome any photos

or feedback however we do not hold any responsibility if
the recipes do not turn out as expected!

The e-book will be updated so if you would like to send us

a picture of your dish or include a new recipe with a photo
please send to us at odessa@edrs.org.uk

Further details of our twinning can be obtained from

odessa@edrs.org.uk

62