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meatballs and matzahballs

at the intersection of Jewish and Italian food and life

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Savory Noodle Kugel

Sweet & Savory Challah Rolls

Peperoni Ripieni (Stuffed Peppers with Eggplant)

Spicy-Smoky Black-Eyed Peas

Turkey Meatballs with Spicy-Sweet Pepper Sauce

New Favorite All-Season Lemon Bars

Salted Bourbon Caramel Hamantashen

Polpettone di Tonno with Horseradish Green Sauce

Spiked Peaches with Grilled Pound Cake

Rustic Sicilian-Style Strawberry Cassata

Calzones with Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper

Post-Holiday Green Elixir

Hanukkah Fritters (Frittelle di Hanukkah) with Figs and Sambuca Honey

Pumpkin Cake (Torta di Zucca) with Orange-Mascarpone Topping

Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts

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The Essential Jewish Cookbook

Features 100 straightforward recipes for classic Jewish dishes from across traditions, made simple and modern. From Challah French Toast to Classic Potato Latkes to Adafina and Doro Wot, these recipes highlight the delicious breadth and depth of global Jewish cuisine. Find tips and tricks for getting the most out of each recipe, from preparing certain steps in advance to swapping ingredients to make dishes kosher. From weeknight dinners to holiday feasts, create meals everyone will love. Now available for pre-order on Amazon.

    Now available for preorder on Amazon.com

From my Instagram feed

meatmatzahballs


This has been an exciting week for me: I unveiled
This has been an exciting week for me: I unveiled my new book, "The Essential Jewish Cookbook," now available for pre-order on Amazon! Writing it was very rewarding and one of my favorite parts was choosing the recipes and thinking about how foods become beloved and meaningful in Jewish culinary traditions—and finding ways to make those treasured recipes easy and delicious. Soon I’ll start sharing sneak previews of what you’ll find in the book, and I can’t wait to hear what you think. You can support the launch and be sure to receive your copy promptly by pre-ordering now—see the link in my bio. Thanks so much for all the kind words and support so far!
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#jewishcooking #jewishfood #jewfood #jewishcookbook #jewishfoodtraditions #cookbooks

After a LOT of hard work behind the scenes for the
After a LOT of hard work behind the scenes for the past several months, I'm thrilled to finally announce that I have a new book coming out, "The Essential Jewish Cookbook." It features 100 recipes spanning Jewish culinary traditions, everything from babka to baba ghanoush and beyond, and I’m looking forward to sharing sneak peeks in the coming weeks. I’d welcome and love your support of the launch—you can pre-order your copy via the link in my bio, and please spread the word to anyone who might be interested. 
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#jewishcooking #jewfood #jewishcookbooks #jewishfoodtraditions #Jewishfood #cookbooks

I’ve been hard at work on a special project rece
I’ve been hard at work on a special project recently, and I’m finally ready to tell you what it is—I’ve been writing a new book. I’m looking forward to sharing more details (including the cover and how to pre-order your copy) with you very soon. Please keep an eye out for my official announcement this coming Tuesday! 
#jewishcooking #jewishfood

Wishing everyone warmth and light however you are
Wishing everyone warmth and light however you are celebrating the holiday season. #happyhanukkah

These lemon-ricotta pancakes with limoncello cream
These lemon-ricotta pancakes with limoncello cream are not latkes of course, but they ARE my homage to what were likely the original latkes—cheese pancakes made by Italy’s Jews. I love the super creamy pancakes and how the limoncello cream makes the dish festive and dessert-worthy. Recipe can be found in my book “Meatballs and Matzah Balls.” #happyhanukkah, #hanukkahfood #ricottapancakes #JewishItalian #Jewishholidaycooking

Last night I began warming up for Hanukkah with fr
Last night I began warming up for Hanukkah with fried mozzarella sticks. Nothing fancy here but sooo satisfying with the melty cheese and crunchy coating, all hot from the pan. And if you are looking for an alternative to latkes, these comforting treats are easier to make and honor the holiday’s frying and cheese traditions deliciously in one dish. (And trust me, they are NOTHING like what you get at the bowling alley.) Simply cut a block of good-quality, part-skim, low-moisture mozzarella into sticks. Dredge in flour, then beaten egg, and then Italian seasoned bread crumbs. Freeze until solid, and fry in neutral oil at 350 degrees for a few minutes until browned and oozy. Serve hot with marinara sauce for dipping. 

#hanukkah #happyhanukkah  #chanukah #friedmozzarella #friedcheese #Jewishholidaycooking #cookingathome

One of my secret weapons (right): Smoked olive oil
One of my secret weapons (right): Smoked olive oil from @cookeryshops. I use this perfectly balanced rich and smoky oil to add flavor depth to meatballs, roasted vegetable salads, and more. My recent haul from this charming local shop also included Element Chai Pear Shrub, a present for my mom (shh). The base is apple cider vinegar and when simply mixed with sparkling water, it makes a refreshing drink (but you can mix it with something stronger like vodka, too). The Cookery is a locally owned culinary marketplace with an incredible selection of oils, vinegars, and kitchenware of all kinds, all lovingly curated. Worth a stop in person or online anytime but they are having a store- and site-wide sale for small business Saturday!
www.cookeryshops.com #shoplocal #smallbusinesssaturday #thecookery

These roasted multicolored carrots with za-atar ar
These roasted multicolored carrots with za-atar are my  go-to side dish pretty much from Rosh Hashanah through Passover. Their color and Middle Eastern flavor profile liven up the table and they work just fine made a little ahead and served at room temperature—so, super friendly for Thanksgiving. Everyone loves them, even people who don’t get excited about carrots. Once roasted w olive oil, toss with za’atar and you can stop there, or drizzle with a tahini sauce or lightly sweetened dressing (pomegranate molasses is especially nice). #Thanksgivingsidedish #carrots #vegetablesidedish

Quick tip for making a store-bought pie taste incr
Quick tip for making a store-bought pie taste incredibly special--make your own whipped cream. It takes just minutes and can even be made a few hours ahead, especially with a little mascarpone to stabilize it. Sometimes commercial or mass-produced pies can have some off flavors, but you won’t notice at all with a generous  dollop of fresh, super creamy whipped cream. A sprinkle of nutmeg over top is especially nice with pumpkin pie. Recipe link in profile—you can omit the whiskey, it will still be outstanding. #whippedcream #thanksgivingdesserts

Fried mashed potato balls—created earlier this f
Fried mashed potato balls—created earlier this fall as a social-distancing friendly way to serve one of my favorite side dishes and something that would work for Thanksgiving as well. The bite-size servings were fun and flavorful with bonus crunch from a crumb coating. While not a Jewish food, they reminded my husband of a potato dish his grandfather made in Poland that they called babka (though nothing at all like the famed sweet yeast cake). They are also reminiscent of Ashkenazi shlishkes, which are more like gnocchi but also sometimes coated in crumbs, and which are sometimes called bilkas when baked or fried. Although my recipe is a work in progress, a few tips if this strategy is calling you: make sure your mashed potatoes are on the dry side (not too creamy), punch up the flavor of the potatoes with herbs and seasonings, and note that while frying was nicely decadent, baking will reduce the risk of the balls coming apart in the frying pan and making the cook crazy.

My brownie recipe! What an honor to have the recip
My brownie recipe! What an honor to have the recipe and its story included in “Now for Something Sweet,” the latest hit cookbook from @mondaymorningcc . These four Australia-based women have lovingly collected and recreated recipes from Jewish homes from Australia and around the world. Like their other books, this latest one is spectacularly photographed and presented with tender care and true affection for the recipes and their stories, including my story about dedicating the recipe to my late friend Ron Gilbert. All the recipes look like knockouts, but I’m especially eager to try the Apple Pie Cake, Pumpkin Chiffon Cake, and South African Cheesecake—and as soon as warm weather rolls around again, their Aperol Spritz Granita. This book would make a treasured gift for anyone who loves to bake. Thank you @mondaymorningcc ! #mondaymorningcookingclub #nowforsomethingsweet #jewishbaking #jewishcookbook

In follow up to last week’s post about butternut
In follow up to last week’s post about butternut squash soup and the connection to Jewish-Italian cuisine, here is a scene that delighted me when I visited Sicily last fall—beautiful Italian squashes alongside fennel, both prized by Italy’s Jewish community and incorporated into numerous dishes. I was so excited to see the Italian squashes, which can’t be found in the U.S., that I think some of the vendors in this bustling Palermo market thought I was crazy. The little things… #JewishItalian #Sicily

Apple Spice Buricche (Turnovers)—fun, easy, and
Apple Spice Buricche (Turnovers)—fun, easy, and seasonally delicious. But also so much more—Buricche are the Jewish-Italian version of pastry turnovers, known in Sephardic and Israeli cuisine as bourekas. Although most traditionally the fillings are savory, these days anything goes and I love my apple pie version that shows off fall’s abundant fruit and warm spices. Stuffed foods like these (symbolizing plenty) also happen to be prized for the harvest holiday of Sukkot right now (and Italian Jews also enjoy them at Purim), though you hardly need to wait for a holiday to savor them. Recipe link in profile. #JewishItalian #sukkot #appledesserts

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, one of my all-tim
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, one of my all-time favorite soups and my go-to this time of year. The golden color symbolizes the wish for joy and happiness for Rosh Hashanah. The nutritious, filling, and flavorful soup offers the perfect way to ease out of the Yom Kippur fast. And the fall squash is especially fitting for the joyful harvest holiday of Sukkot. Win-Win-Win. Plus, the love of squash and pumpkin dishes traces back to Italy’s Jews, who particularly adopted the Italian pumpkin-like zucca barucca for sweets as well as savory dishes like risottos and ravioli. Soup recipe from my cookbook, Meatballs and Matzah Balls. #jewishfood #jewishholidaycooking #butternutsquashsoup #Sukkot #RoshHashanah

Taking brisket outside this year, and my favorite
Taking brisket outside this year, and my favorite way to do that is on skewers with extra gravy or a zesty BBQ sauce. If you’ve made brisket, too, and have leftovers, freeze to use as a kreplach/ravioli filling later on. #brisket #RoshHashanah #Jewishfood

Holiday- and joy-friendly challah rolls! Here swee
Holiday- and joy-friendly challah rolls! Here sweet and savory options flavor a perfectly pillowy and rich challah dough, and you can make a variety of these charmers in one batch. Just delighted with this recipe—link in the profile. #challah #challahrolls #roshhashanah #jewishholidaybaking #Jewishfood #shanatova

Test driving a new recipe for stuffed artichoke bo
Test driving a new recipe for stuffed artichoke bottoms for a Rosh Hashanah side dish. The beautiful post by @veredguttman a few days ago inspired me and reminded me of Roman-Style artichokes with mint and garlic. This dairy-free version features panko, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil, mint, and parsley from my garden—so flavorful (and easy to assemble). A separate cheesy version is also in the works! #JewishItalian #JewishHolidayCooking #roshhashanah

Here the lovely and amazing @lisagoldberg.mmcc of
Here the lovely and amazing @lisagoldberg.mmcc of @mondaymorningcc is making my recipe for flourless brownies. This screen shot of her video doesn’t do it justice; please find the entire video shared in my Instagram stories. This special recipe of mine from "Meatballs and Matzah Balls” is included in MMCC’s latest book, “Now for Something Sweet,” which should be available in the United States this fall. For now, enjoy the recipe, presented for an Australian audience, in Lisa's warm and helpful demo. And follow @mondaymorningcc ! They are always posting great recipes and videos and are such a pleasure to virtually hang out with. #mondaymorningcookingclub #flourlessbrownies #glutenfree #desserts #chocolatedesserts #baking #brownies

Probably seems obvious, but we love meatballs in t
Probably seems obvious, but we love meatballs in this household! Last night’s version featured ground chicken breast with a good bit of fresh parsley and basil, simmered in a quick, simple marinara. Comfort food fix delivered. #meatballs

Loved seeing Chef Richard DiNenna of Portland, Ore
Loved seeing Chef Richard DiNenna of Portland, Oregon, having fun in his home kitchen with my challah recipe from Meatballs and Matzah Balls—and turning out such beautifully braided loaves. Totally craving that bread right now. #challah #Jewishfood #jewishbaking #jewishbread


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Meatballs and Matzah Balls

No matter where your cultural journey has taken you, the kitchen is always your best way home.

  • more than 100 recipes
  • more than 60 full-color photos
  • nine essays exploring intersections of Jewish and Italian life
  • classic and new recipes for soups, stews, breads, appetizers, pastas, grains, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, Passover, and, of course, desserts!
  • recipes cover classics from both cuisines as well as recipes that bridge the two in origin, ingredients, or spirit
  • all recipes can be made kosher

“Italian by birth and Jewish by choice, Marcia has amassed a delectable feast filled with nostalgic reflections from both traditions.”—Judy Bart Kancigor, author of Cooking Jewish.

    Finalist—2014 Indie Book Awards

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