Spinach and Butternut Squash Calzone
I like anything surrounded by dough, and with dairy dishes on the agenda for Shavuos, it’s hard to go wrong with a calzone. Calzones are a pizza turned into a pocket. The fillings can vary as far as your imagination takes you. Cheese and spinach makes a great combination. You can add broccoli, red sauce, and more to this delicious dish. You can make them small (cut the dough into 8) and use them as appetizers, or make them medium for individual main courses, or make them big (use the whole dough), to slice and serve at the meal.
1/2 c. ricotta cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. sautéed onions
1/2 c. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 c. butternut squash, diced and cooked
1 T. fresh basil, minced
1 T. fresh parsley, minced
1 lb. raw pizza dough
1 egg
1/2 T. sesame seeds (optional)
Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix cheeses, spinach, basil, and parsley. Divide dough into 4 equal parts and roll out on a floured board to about 6 inches in diameter. Spoon equal amounts of filling onto each piece of pizza dough. Fold over and seal edges, pinching closed with fingers or tines of a fork. Place calzones on prepared cookie sheet. Beat egg and brush tops. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30 minutes or until dough is golden. Makes 4.
Caramelized Onion and Cheese Braid
These braids look gorgeous, and using prepared pastry dough makes this dish very quick, with hardly any mess.
2 c. red or yellow onions, diced fine (or cut into thin strips)
1 T. packed brown sugar
2 T. balsamic vinegar (optional)
2 sheets of pastry dough (or homemade dough rolled into a rectangle)
1 c. mozzarella, grated
1/4 c. melted butter
1 c. cheddar cheese grated
1 tsp. garlic salt or 1 clove garlic minced and 1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. poppy seed (optional)
1/2 tsp. sesame seed (optional)
1 egg (for garnish)
Heat oven to 425° F. Spray parchment-lined cookie or baking sheet with cooking spray. In 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown. Stir in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
Unroll pastry dough; place on parchment lined sheet. With a rolling pin, roll dough into 15 x10-inch rectangle, starting at center of dough. Sprinkle half the cheese down center third of dough. Spoon half the onion mixture evenly over cheese. Repeat with the second sheet of dough. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on both long sides of dough to within half inch of filling. Alternately cross strips diagonally over filling. Turn ends under and press to seal. Brush egg white over top. Sprinkle with poppy seed, sesame seed, and/or paprika. Bake 11 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Remove from sheet; cut crosswise into slices.
Tip: This braid is very versatile. You can make it sweet with fruit fillings (cherry, blueberry, etc), you can make it into a pizza, or you can even make it fleischig with sautéed onions and pulled beef!
Cream Puffs
I love these cream puffs, and they’re easier to make than you think. The trickiest part is beating the eggs into the dough. Fill them with ice cream, whipped cream, even homemade pudding (recipe below).
1 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. all-purpose flour
4 eggs
3 c. whipped cream, pudding, or ice cream
Powdered sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 ° F. Grease baking sheet. In a medium saucepan combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to boil. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Drop 12 heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and firm. Transfer cream puffs to a wire rack and let cool. Cut tops from puffs and remove soft dough from inside. Fill with desired filling. Replace tops. Sift with powdered sugar if desired. Makes 12.
Chocolate Pudding
One of my favorite recipes since I was 12.
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T. tapioca starch (original recipe calls for flour or cornstarch)
2 2/3 c. milk
4 beaten egg yolks
1 T. butter
In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, and tapioca (making sure to get out all lumps). Add milk. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. (You are tempering the yolks so they’re not “shocked” by the heat.) Return all of the egg mixture back to the saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil while still stirring. Reduce heat and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Pour into pudding bowls. If you love the “skin” as I do, do not cover with Saran wrap. If you do not yet know how great the skin is, you could cover with Saran wrap. Chill. Then eat straight or use to fill the eclairs above!)
Caramelized Balsamic Onion Dip
Okay, onions and balsamic vinegar go great together. This dip goes great with cut veggies and on challa.
2 large Vidalia (or other sweet) onions
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. brown sugar (optional)
1 c. grated Granny Smith apple
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. cream cheese
Several dashes hot sauce (optional)
Peel and slice the onions thinly. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook until the onions start to soften, about 5 minutes. If you want, you can add one teaspoon of brown sugar to this dip with the onions, to help the caramelization process. Add the grated apple, tossing to coat. Reduce the heat to medium, cook until the onions are very soft and deeply caramelized, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. (You may have to adjust the heat to keep them from burning.) Add the vinegar and increase the heat, stirring until the liquid has all been evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove about 1 tablespoon of the caramelized onions for garnish, if desired, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Stir in the caramelized onions and some hot sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to a day or two ahead. Top with the reserved onions and serve with chips or cut vegetables for a perfect dip.
Bracha Shor is president of Sweet and Good Catering and a sought-after speaker for
workshops, retreats, classes, camps, bar/bat mitzvas and more. Email her for your next event at bshor@sweetandgoodcatering.com, or call 410-900-6640.
