What are some traditional Passover foods or dishes?

Question

In elementary and junior high years, my Jewish girlfriends had grandmas who could really make glorious food, but I never knew enough then to get recipes from them. Any input would help me Google up some recipes, so help me here!

Answer 1

chabad.org has a ton of Passover recipes and other information on Passover as well.



Passover is one of the most widely celebrated Jewish holidays and commemorates the biblical story of Exodus, when Hebrew slaves were released from bondage in Egypt. Called "pesach" (pay-sak) in Hebrew, Passover is a celebration of freedom.



Passover is celebrated for seven days in Israel and for eight days in the Diaspora (outside of Israel). The reason for this difference has to do with the way the ancient calendar worked.



The Passover Seder



Every year, Jews are commanded to retell the Passover story. This usually takes place during the Passover Seder, which is a service held at home as part of the Passover celebration. It is always observed on the first night of Passover, and in some homes on the second night as well. On both nights, the seder concludes with a dinner.



Kosher for Passover?



Passover is a holiday that has certain dietary restrictions associated with it. The biggest one has to do with eating unleavened bread, called matzah. This custom comes from the part of the Passover story that says the Hebrew slaves fled Egypt so quickly that their bread didn't have time to rise. Matzah is a kind of bread that is made without yeast and not allowed to rise, so eating it in remembrance of this part of the story is a way to bring some of the Passover narrative to life.



In addition to eating matzah, Jews avoid any leavened bread during the week of Passover. They also avoid eating any food products containing wheat, barley, rye, spelt, or oats if they have leavening. According to tradition, these grains naturally rise if they are not cooked in 18 minutes and are called "chametz" during Passover. In the Ashkenazi tradition corn, rice, millet and legumes are also on the no-no list. Because things like corn syrup and cornstarch can be found in unexpected places, the easiest way to avoid inadvertently violating the rules of kashrut during Passover is to only use food products that are specifically labeled "Kosher for Passover."

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Google "Passover foods".



Favorites are: Brisket, baked chicken. I have a wonderful dish called "Sweet Israel Chicken" that includes Maneschewitz wine, apricots, honey, almonds and raisins. Potato dishes are really great (no bread/flour involved, so...) potato kugel is good, I have a recipe called "crust for all kugel". Basically, you put it in buttered muffin tins, and everyone has crust all the way around. Another really good dish is called "Sephardic potato spinach casserole" or something like that (email me. I can send it to you) Latkes, made with exclusively matzah meal are Peasdic.



Charoset is pretty much a necessity. Basically, just rough chopped apples, walnuts, some sweet wine and cinnamon, it can be dressed up almost any way you want (granted you don't put in anything that is NOT pesadic, like bread, flour, crumbs, etc.) Mine is called Persian Charoset, and includes several spices, different fruits, dried fruits and assorted nuts. Everyone loves it!



Matzah kugel...just matzah, eggs, onions, celery, I add mushrooms and cheese, then bake.



There are many recipes online. You can buy a recipe book. A friend of mine bought me a book of "Jewish celebrations" that is chock-full of recipes I've never had a chance to make! I have a vegetarian friend who comes to our seder...I have to come up with some veggie stuff for her...I made an eggplant and squash casserole that went over big, last year. Have an even better one for this year! (Eggplant, herbs and creme fraiche...just look it up).



Fruit compote was ALWAYS on the dessert menu growing up, along with my mother's sponge cake (I NEVER understood how that was pesadic!) and her "Bavarian Creme" that EVERYONE else loved! (bleah! But mostly because the "whipped cream" was soy product...I might like it if made with real cream)



It might help to know if you are looking just for a blast to the past, or if you really want to keep kosher for Passover? Are you Jewish? Or just looking to taste some "comfort food"?



One thing to keep in mind is that most people avoided rice, dried beans/legumes, and other foods that expanded when cooking, including ALL corn and peanut products, and that, while your friends' parents probably did that, many people are getting away from that, these days, because the reasoning behind it is completely archaic.



Matza ball soup... chicken soup with matzah dumplings/kneidleach. The recipe is on the back of any box of MATZAH MEAL (essential for the holiday).



@ Melkah...She asked for some recipes, not the ganze megillah about the holiday that you gave. Why waste your time and energy posting all that when no one asked for it?



@Yenni: No. I didn't ATTACK anyone, but Melkah didn't put up a single good reference, only an explanation of the holiday. That's NOT what was asked for. I'm sure it is a very GOOD explanation, but it's not what the asker wants. Even the last paragraph is NOT about traditional dishes or recipes. And I have used google to find recipes for many, various things, including new dishes for Passover. It's a FANTASTIC tool for finding recipes, and many other things.



As for blocking you. I have never blocked you...I rarely block anyone. I had a list of contacts, at one time, and I don't recognize your name. I was threatened with violence by an anti-semitic user, a Palestinian supporter, who threatened me and all my contacts. I removed everyone, FOR THEIR PROTECTION, not because I blocked anyone. I also INFORMED most of them what was going on and why I was removing them. Sorry for the slight, but then...you weren't on my list, anyway. I don't keep contacts anymore, because of that incident.



*edit*...Interesting...Yenni has removed his little blast/chat.

Answer 4

Matzoh -- unleavened bread of flour and water and nothing else

this is the foundational Passover food as no leaven of any manner is permitted to be owned by Jews during Passover and Motzoh is required during the Seder (festival meal)



a number of "fake" cookies and cakes and the like are made by crushing pre-made Matzoh into a "meal"

NOTE - many communities do not allow this for residula fear of leavening

these communities make "fake" pastries from potato or coconut



so - some Passover foods:

- Haroset - a paste made with wine (or vinegar) with nuts, cinamon, and either apple or dates

(this is a specific ritual food -- and then people munch on it the rest of the holiday)



- Chiken soup

those who allow Matzoh meal make this with Matzoh balls

else, people make noodles from an omelet mixed with potato starch



- "beigeleh" - muffins made from Matzoh meal

- latkes or "matzoh brie" - potato pancakes or pancakes made from broken bits of matzoh



- Huevos Haminados - slow cooked eggs colored with onion skin



- Mamaliga - a porrige of corn like "Polenta"

(!! this is forbidden to some communities as something called "Kitniot" !!)



- Plov - rice - savory - with lamb, carrots, onions / or sweet - with dried fruit and nuts

(!! this is forbidden to some communities as something called "Kitniot" !!)



- beet meatballs - just what it sounds like - a mixture of meat and beets - don't know why - but my grandma made these only on Passover



- Macaroons - cookies made from coconut



-- any other Jewish festival food that does not violate the prohibition on leaven

(gefilte fish, fried fish, roast chicken, salad ... etc.)

Answer 5

Explore the internet with the words Traditional Passover Recipes

in the search box of Yahoo at http://search.yahoo.com

Answer 6

matzoh

or more specifically anything without levened bread



matzoh ball soup

fried Matzoh

there are others

Answer 7

matzoh ball soup!