STELLA'S COOKBOOK

Huevos haminados, braised hard-boiled eggs, are one of the most ancient and characteristic foods in the medieval Judeo-Spanish repertoire.

Huevos kon tomat is an easy, versatile, one-pan dish of eggs poached in a fresh tomato sauce, aromatic with paprika and cumin.

Here is an enticing new version of the traditional Rhodesli mac’n’cheese. The macaroni is baked with a luscious creamy blend of Greek cheeses, nutritious eggs and ribbons of velvety Swiss chard, roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh dill. This winter comfort food is super easy to whip up for a family dish packed with flavour – pure deliciousness! Try it this weekend and serve with a zingy salad.

The Sephardic repertoire of savoury hand pies are indescribably popular as they are so delicious. 

“Gizadas de patata i kezo” are an unusual and less known dainty pie (derived from the Spanish quesadillas - cheese turnovers).

For a Jewish New Year, I am creating an easy alternative to the traditional yeasted pie “boyo” that appears at the Sephardic Rosh Hashanah table customarily made with Swiss chard – one of the symbolic foods. I combine spinach (Swiss chard) with Greek cheese, eggs, scallions (spring onions) and fragrant herbs delicately wrapped in store-bought filo pastry and coiled into a large pie.

Over generations the Jews of Rhodes adapted the much loved Greek macaroni and meat bake ‘pastitio’ with its iconic cheese béchamel sauce.

Our ancestor’s kosher version ‘makaron reynado’, combined macaroni with an aromatic meat and tomato sauce then baked with beaten eggs.

Sephardim from Rhodes Island have inherited from the Ottoman culinary heritage our affinity for the most beloved and versatile vegetable – aubergine, otherwise known as eggplants.

The piè̀ce de resistance of Sephardic pies are the small meat and rice filled pies shaped like little pots with straight sides and decoratively crimped lids to seal in the filling. You can also substitute with an aubergine, onion and tomato filling which besides being vegetarian is so tasty.

Pumpkin or butternut filo-like coiled pastries are delectable, fragrant with warming spices of cinnamon and cloves. The distinctive coil or ‘rose’ shape is said to be symbolic of the Island of Roses (the name the Italians gave to the beautiful island of Roses - Rhodes).

In the East Mediterranean there are many varieties of spinach and cheese pastries. Boyos de pazi y keso are the traditional hand pies the Sephardim made for centuries in the Dodecanese island of Rhodes. The Sephardic Jews, who settled in the Ottoman Empire inspired by their “empanada” pies from medieval Spain, adapted the recipe to other versions.

These scrumptious meat-filled crisp potato croquettes are my mother’s recipe inspired by her Turkish roots. It is a superb alternative to their traditional matza bake at Passover. Although they are a bit fiddly to prepare they are really worthwhile the effort. I like to freeze these, uncooked, as a fabulous standby especially when my grandchildren are around. I simply fry the frozen croquettes in hot oil and serve with a fresh green salad with tangy dressing. 

Quajados (kuajados) are such a popular Passover dish made with a combination of vegetables, ground beef or chicken and eggs baked into a kind of gratin or frittata. 

The Judeo-Spanish name for this emblematic dish cooked by the Jews of Medieval Spain is derived from the Spanish word “aquajados” meaning coagulated or curdled referring to the eggs.