Spinach Jewish Style Food

SPINACH POTATO KNISHES - JEWISH COMFORT FOOD

Steps:

• First make the dough. Put the flour in a food processor and pulse as you pour the oil through the feed tube.
• Keep pulsing, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Put the vinegar and seltzer in a measuring cup then stir in a teaspoon of salt. Pour this through the feed processor feed tube, pulsing, for 25 seconds.
• Turn the dough on to a floured board and knead for a minute.
• Flatten it into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let the Dough Rest
• Refrigerate for 2 hours at least.
• Time to make the filling - put the potatoes in a pan and cover with water.
• Bring to the boil and add a generous pinch of salt, then simmer for 35 minutes or until fork-tender.
• Drain and let them cool a bit (maybe in the freezer if you're in a rush).
• Put the spinach in a clean towel and wring out as much liquid as you can, before roughly chopping it.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet and sauté the onions with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Cook for 15 minutes or until tender.
• Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes.
• Add the spinach, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and stir well, then turn off the heat. Let the Dough Warm Back Up
• Let the dough sit on the counter for 40 minutes or until pliable.
• Peel the potatoes then mash them with the cream and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, then stir in the spinach mixture. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) with a rack in the center.
• Brush a baking sheet with oil.
• Put the dough on floured parchment paper and dust with flour, then stretch into an 8×6-inch (25x20cm) rectangle.
• Roll it into an 18×12-inch (46x30cm) rectangle with a rolling pin. Add the Spinach Filling
• Spread the filling in the dough, allowing a 2-inch (5cm) border along the edges.
• Roll the dough, brushing off excess flour as you roll, stretching the dough as needed.
• Pinch it closed along the center seam, then turn seam-side down on the parchment paper.
• Twist and seal it closed then pinch off any excess.
• Divide into 3 parts, pressing down to cut off each one.
• It's going to look like sausage links.
• Cut through the separations using a sharp knife, pinching the ends to check the seals are secure.
• Now cut them lengthwise to make 6 total.
• Arrange the 6 knishes cut-side upward on the baking sheet 2 inches (5cm) apart, pressing each one down to flatten into a 1½-inch ( 3¾cm) thick disk. Time to Bake Them
• Bake the spinach potato knishes for half an hour, then brush with oil and bake for a further half hour or until golden.

SPINACH JEWISH STYLE

Steps:

• Remove the stems and roots from the spinach. Rinse in many changes of cold water until any trace of sand is removed. Place in a large pot with a pinch of salt and no water other than that retained from washing. Cook over moderately high heat, covered, for 5 minutes. Drain.
• Soak the raisins in the lukewarm water for a couple of minutes, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onion and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent; add the raisins, pignoli, and small amounts of salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Add the spinach and nutmeg and sauté, stirring frequently, until the spinach looks dry and crisp.

FETA-AND-SPINACH BUNS

Steps:

• For the dough: Warm the milk and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan over low heat to about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees F). Remove the saucepan from the heat, and sprinkle the yeast over the liquid. Sprinkle a pinch of the sugar over the top, and let sit without stirring until foamy, about 5 minutes. Then whisk in the butter and egg yolk.
• Whisk together the flour, remaining sugar and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, sticky dough. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface, and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.
• Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. Add the dough ball, turning to coat lightly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, trace a circle the size of the dough ball on the plastic and note the time. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl, and knead briefly to release excess air. Re-form it into a ball, and return it to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap, and lay it on the dough. Cover the entire bowl tightly with the rest of the plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to let the dough proof.
• For the filling: Melt the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach, and cook until it is cooked through and nearly all the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the feta, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, lemon zest, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Transfer the filling to a medium bowl, and let cool completely. (The filling will firm up a bit, but if it's too warm, it will be difficult to form the buns.)
• To fill and form the buns: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface, and press it flat. Roll it into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle, with a long side facing you. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border on the side opposite you. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan evenly over the filling. Starting from the side facing you, roll the dough up into a tight roll. Lightly brush the 1-inch border with water, and continue rolling to seal the roll. Fold the ends in just a bit, and if any spots look thicker than others, even out the roll with your hands.
• Cut the roll every 1 1/2 inches with a serrated knife, to make 12 buns. Place the buns cut-side down (except for the end pieces) in the prepared pan, spacing them 1 inch apart. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until the buns double in size, leaving no gaps in between, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• For the topping: Stir together the butter, dill, lemon zest and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the buns until they're golden brown and the tops spring back when pressed lightly, 25 to 30 minutes. Spread the topping evenly over the buns, and return them to the oven until the butter is melted and the topping is fragrant, 5 minutes more. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE BABKA

Steps:

• For the dough: Sprinkle the yeast over the milk in a liquid measuring cup and set aside until bubbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and whisk together. Add the eggs, vanilla, yeast mixture, lemon zest and nutmeg; stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until soft and smooth, about 5 minutes. Knead in the butter in three additions, dusting the dough with flour if it is too sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• For the filling: Combine the artichoke hearts, spinach, cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and some pepper in a food processor and process until smooth.
• For the topping: Whisk the flour, panko, a pinch salt and some pepper in a medium bowl, then work in the butter with your fingers until the mixture is sandy and chunky. Stir in the Parmesan and parsley and set aside.
• For the assembly: Cut the dough in half with a bench scraper or chef's knife. Using a rolling pin, roll each half into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Using an offset spatula, spread the filling on both dough rectangles, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella all over the filling on each dough rectangle. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Starting from the long side, tightly roll each rectangle into a log. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Unwrap the logs and cut each in half lengthwise with a bench scraper or chef's knife. For each babka, twist the 2 halves together a few times, starting from the middle. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line each with parchment, leaving an overhang on the 2 longer sides so you can pull the babka out of the pan after baking. Place a babka snuggly in each pan and sprinkle with the topping. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle the melted butter all over the babkas. Bake until browned, about 45 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes, then remove the babkas from the pans and remove the parchment. Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

SPINACH SHAKSHUKA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cinnamon, and salt, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes​.
• Add the spinach and lemon juice to the pan, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until the spinach is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes. (If the spinach does not fit all at once in the pan, add a little at a time, adding more as the spinach in the pan wilts.) Uncover and evenly spread the mixture across the bottom of the pan. Use the back of the spoon to make four to six shallow indentations​ in the surface of the greens mixture to hold the eggs while they cook.
• Break the eggs into small cups and gently slide them into the indentations. Raise the heat to medium, cover the pan , and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still a bit runny, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan​ from the heat. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top and sprinkle with pepper, feta, and cilantro. Serve hot, directly from the pan.

SPINACH KUGEL (PAREVE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Saute onion, celery and mushrooms in margarine for 10 minutes. Stir often. Place mixture into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the carrots, matzo meal, spinach, salt and pepper, and eggs to cooled vegetables. Mix well.
• Pour mixture into prepared 9x13 inch casserole dish.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes until firm.