Contributed by Marnely Rodriguez, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru
Traditional Passover meals are adapted to your family’s preference, but typically derive from a mother recipe. Variations in ingredients may vary, but the essence of the celebration stays intact.
Here is my list of top ten traditional passover recipes:
10. Gefilte Fish
Some love it, some hate it. If you are one of the lucky ones that love it, it’s a great dish to make ahead and serve to your family. Low fat depending on the type of white fish you use, you can easily adapted it to your taste buds but adding less or more of the traditional ingredients. Try making gefilte fish loaf this year.
9. Potato Kugel with Mushrooms
Also made at times with egg noodles, kugel can either be a sweet or savory dish, depending on the ingredients. Add fresh herbs and other vegetables to make this a satisfying but healthy side dish.
8. Passover Chocolate Mandelbrot
A great gluten free recipe that contains chocolate and nuts, this Mandelbrot will surely entice even the young ones on the table. Made with matzo Cake Meal and Potato Starch, the texture isn’t quite the same as wheat cakes, but still delicious!
7. Tzimmes
Typically made with carrots, beans or chickpeas, this healthy side dish is elevated to the next level with the addition of nuts or dried fruits. It is a typical Yiddish saying “To make a big tzimmes over something”, or to make a big fuss. Tzimmes require a lot of chopping, thus the saying.
6. Macaroons
Sweet and simple, basically made with coconut, sugar, and egg whites and baked. These little clouds of coconut can be dipped in chocolate or eaten plain. Macaroons are a sweet end to any meal!
5. Sweet Brisket
Who doesn’t love a fork tender brisket? Depending on where you grew up, your brisket recipe is sure to be influenced by that area; some like it saucy, sweet or no sauce at all. If you’ve never cooked brisket before, a great idea is to pre-order a smoked brisket, delicious and simple!
4. Potato Knishes
Knishes are typically made from potatoes and formed into a ball, baked, grilled, or fried. Fillings include: sauerkraut, onions, cheese, or kasha. Some fillings have been modernized but the basics of it remind the same. You can find Knishes at street vendors in cities with large Jewish populations.
3. Matzo Ball Soup
Simple ingredients such as matzo meal, oil, eggs, chicken stock and vegetables are made into these dumplings that float in savory chicken broth to serve to family. Make tiny dumplings for the kids and they will enjoy it even more!
2. Passover Rolls
Made with matzo meal instead of the usual wheat flour, these Passover rolls will be a great substitution for when leaven breads are not allowed. Of course, these rolls go perfectly with Matzo Ball soup!
1. Apple-Nut Haroset
Passover haroset is a combination of nuts, apples, spices and sweet wine make this an all around delicious treat. It is a remembrance of the mortar used in building ancient pyramids and buildings.
Create your own family traditions by finding great variations to classic meals! You’ll have a tradition of your own to pass down to generations.