“…it is a day when time seems to stand still. Inviting us to pause, look inward, and ask the hard questions about who we are and who we hope to become. Yom Kippur opens a door to forgiveness—for others, for ourselves and for the moments we wish we could rewrite.”
With the holiest of Jewish holidays now upon us, I wanted to treat my Jewish friends with a “special” holiday luncheon and decided upon a pickled cucumber salad, matzo ball soup, challah bread or a babka.
I had been wanting to make a jar of pickled cucumbers for a while, so I decided to buy English cucumbers. These cucumbers have very small seeds, which do not need to be removed, and, in fact, these cucumbers have less water in their flesh, making for a perfect crisp pickle.
Also easy were the matzo balls. The matzo ball mix at just $3.69, which makes 10 balls, resembles breadcrumbs and comes in a small box with the directions printed on its back panel that say to add eggs, oil and water. I made a change from the vegetable oil to Crisco lard at room temperature and I added 1/2 level teaspoon of baking powder to the dry mixture.
Simple and not expensive. I did discover, however, that making your matzo mixture the night before allows the meal to absorb the liquids, resulting in a very light, not dense, matzo ball.
I drop these round balls in a pot of simmering chicken broth with a handful of diced onions, celery and carrots, a pinch of thyme, pop on the lid, and 20 minutes later, I have a delicious and heart-warming bowl of matzo ball soup.
Challah bread prices vary. At a supermarket the prices range from $6.50 a loaf, and at a bakery the price starts at $12 a loaf and can go up to $38.
Searching our local markets, I was unable to locate a chocolate or cinnamon Babka, nor was there a fresh loaf of Challah bread to be found. At one market when I asked for the bread, the checkers had never heard of Challah bread.
Undaunted by this problem, I set about solving the major problem—how to “form” the braided loaf once I found what I thought to be, the “perfect” recipe for Challah bread. This proved not to be an easy task.
The “bread” flour was easy, I use King Arthur for all of my special recipes, as far as the rest of the ingredients being pretty much straight-forward—eggs, yeast, oil, honey, milk, etc. Every recipe I read for the bread itself was all the same.
While I was searching for the perfect recipe, I came upon “how to make Challah rolls instead of a braided loaf.” I was captivated by the photos. And even more so given the fact you can make the dough the night before and bake them the next day, and the rolls freeze well. I was hooked!
I found the video “How to Shape Challah Rolls” on YouTube by Bincy Chris and watched and rewatched. My rolls came out perfectly, so much so that I will be teaching the seniors at the Highlands Park senior center in November the technique and recipe below.
Dear readers, if you are celebrating Yom Kippur—Gmar chatima tova! May you be sealed for a good year!
Challah Rolls
(10 rolls)
In a mixing bowl add:
• 3/4 cup +2 Tbsp. lukewarm water
• 2 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 tsp. rapid rise dry yeast
Stir ingredients together and add:
• 4 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. salt
Knead together for 10 full minutes.
Dough will be slightly sticky. Do NOT be tempted to add additional flour.
Place in a well-oiled bowl and cover. Rest for 45 minutes.
On a lightly floured board, divide dough into 10 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Cover with a cloth. Rest 5-6 minutes.
With your fingers, press each ball 5 inches wide. Then roll up into a 4 inch rope. When all are rolled, roll each one out again into a 12 inch rope. Shape each rope into a roll as shown on YouTube.
Place rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with Saran Wrap and let rise until nearly doubled, about 60 minutes.
Make an egg wash of 1 egg mixed with 1 tsp. water and brush each roll.
Sprinkle each roll with sesame seeds and bake in a 350deg. preheated oven for 25 minutes.
This recipe can also be braided and formed into a loaf. Bake loaf in a well oiled pan at 375deg. for 60 minutes.
Quick Pickled Crisp Cucumbers
Strange but true—I love these pickled cukes with my Martini at 5 o’clock in the evening!
• 1 English cucumber
• 1/4 cup of red onion
• 1 garlic clove
In a bowl mix together:
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp. gran. sugar
• 2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup of apple cider vinegar
Peel and slice the English cucumber and onion into thin slices. I use a mandolin.
In a bowl or jar add all ingredients together. Making sure the cucumbers and onions are covered with the brine. Cover with Saran wrap.
Ready to eat in two hours. Can be kept in refrigerator for several days. Marinade can be reused.
Colly Gruczelak, a Ben Lomond resident, loves people and loves to cook. Contact her at cz****@*****st.net.
