Jewish Dishes
Challah
A common bread eaten during Sabbath and Rosh Hassannah.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup honey
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds(optional)
Directions
- In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.
- Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
- Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.
Jewish Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 5 teaspoons white sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs, beaten
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 10 inch tube pan. Combine the ground cinnamon and 5 teaspoons of the sugar together and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and 2 cups of the sugar. Stir in the vegetable oil, beaten eggs, orange juice and vanilla. Mix well.
- Pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan. Top with 1/2 of the sliced apples and sprinkle with 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Pour the remaining batter over the top and layer the remaining sliced apples and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 70 to 90 minutes.
German Dishes
Wiener Schnitzel
A classical staple to a German diet of veal, bread crumbs, and side of beer.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds veal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups bread crumbs
- 1/8 cup oil for frying
Directions
- Cut the veal into steaks, about as thick as your finger. Dredge in flour. In a shallow dish, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper. Coat the veal with egg mixture, then with bread crumbs.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry veal until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side.
Jagerschnitzel
A dish consisting of beef and pork it's delicious to both foreigners and natives alike.
Ingredients
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 pork steaks or cutlets, pounded thin
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 (8 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cube beef bouillon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Direction
- In a shallow dish, mix together the bread crumbs and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Place the egg in a separate dish. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip pork steaks in egg, then coat with the bread crumb mixture. Fry in the hot oil until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
- Remove the pork to a platter and keep warm. Add onion and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until lightly browned. Pour in water and dissolve the bouillon cube. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir together the cornstarch and sour cream; stir into the skillet. Cook over low heat until thickened but do not boil. Spoon over the pork cutlets and serve immediately.