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Meatballs & Matzah Balls by Marcia Friedman

exploring Jewish-Italian food & more

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Coconut Macaroons

Spicy Chocolate Sfratti (Jewish-Italian Stick Cookies)

Marzipan Pignoli Hamantaschen with Salted Honey Butter

Almond Kifli

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 on Amazon.com

From my Instagram feed

meatmatzahballs


Cheesecake! Here I'm making a gluten-free crustles
Cheesecake! Here I'm making a gluten-free crustless version of my classic recipe (which you can find through the SmartBio link in my profile). I also took the extra step of baking it in a water bath for an extra creamy cake that I want to eat with a spoon!
#cheesecake #cheesecakelove #creamydesserts

Years ago, I wrote a story for @tabletmag about wh
Years ago, I wrote a story for @tabletmag about why Shavuot is Jewish Mother-in-Law’s-Day and why this beautiful Lemon Pasta with Cauliflower and Peas recipe celebrates it perfectly for me as a Jew by choice. The article holds meaning ever still, especially judging from the warm responses I always get to it. So I share it once again, with love to all the Jews by choice out there and the mother-in-laws who generously embrace them. Find the link to the recipe and article through the SmartBio link in my profile. 

BTW, that recipe! The lemon, cream, Parmigiano, olive oil, and sea salt flavors harmonize wonderfully. And texture-wise, the chewy pasta, tender bursts of peas, and substantial bites of cauliflower play perfectly together and soak up the luscious sauce. I tested this one many times to get everything right, and it's so good I could eat the whole batch myself. 
…
#Shavuot #happyshavuot #Jewishholidays #Jewishmotherinlawsday #lemon #lemonpasta #jewishitalian #jewishholidaycooking #cookingwithlove #jewbychoice

Creamy, dairy desserts entice almost always but es
Creamy, dairy desserts entice almost always but especially for the upcoming holiday of Shavuot, traditionally commemorated with dairy foods. Here are a few of my favorites.

1. Cheesecake! The quintessential Shavuot dessert, especially in Ashkenazic traditions, is cheesecake. Jewish bakers embraced the invention of cream cheese early on for their cheesecakes and there was no turning back on this beloved creation. My classic recipe from "The Essential Jewish Cookbook" comes out creamy and nicely scented with vanilla, nestled into a lightly sweet graham cracker crust. Strawberries add their beauty and juicy flavor but you can use any fruit or fruit compote you like.

2. Cheesecake with Nutella! If chocolate-y flavor is more your game or if you don’t feel like baking, my Nutella Mousse Cheesecake is easy yet splurges on the decadence. I added “mousse” to the title because it’s so lusciously light and creamy. 

3. Stuffed Strawberries! Dessert goes bite-sized but no less special in this sweet, which you could think of as cheesecake in a berry. This favorite easy recipe from the "Meatballs and Matzah Balls" cookbook works great for parties. 

4. Apple Bourbon Caramel Sundaes with Hot Honey Cinnamon Crunch! This is the best way to dress up vanilla gelato that I know of, in a dessert that can take you right through summer and into fall. 

5. Italian Soufflé! Let’s swerve to the savory for this last one—Sformato with Asparagus and Tomato—because it’s somewhat like a warm ricotta cheesecake with more fluffy egg presence and wonderfully flavored vegetables. Bonus, it’s soufflé-like but much easier.

Find the recipes for the Classic Cheesecake, Nutella Mousse Cheesecake, Sundaes, and Sformato through the SmartBio link in my profile. The Stuffed Strawberries recipe is in the "Meatballs and Matzah Balls" cookbook.
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#cheesecake #creamydesserts #Shavuot #Jewishholidaybaking #Jewishholidaycooking #dairydesserts #icecreamsundaes #bourboncaramel #essentialjewishcookbook #jewishitalian #sformato

This Sicilian-Style Strawberry Cassata is one of m
This Sicilian-Style Strawberry Cassata is one of my most popular recipes, and it’s particularly lovely for Mother’s Day as well as for the upcoming dairy-centric holiday of Shavuot. Here rum-and-strawberry-soaked sponge cake layers contrast with decadently cool creamy ricotta-mascarpone filling and the season’s most wonderful fresh strawberries. Its rustic, open layers give you a preview all the good insides, making it so inviting to the eyes. But the best part is how all the flavors work so beautifully together. It’s hard to eat just one piece.
***
#mothersday #shavuot #siciliandesserts #cassata #strawberries #strawberryseason #dairydesserts #jewishitalian

In the mood for a mint julep with Derby Day coming
In the mood for a mint julep with Derby Day coming up? Here’s my favorite recipe featuring an Italian twist that makes all the difference. Recipe available through the SmartBio link in my profile!
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#mintjulep #bourbon #bourboncocktail #derbyday

I had so much fun talking all things Jewish food (
I had so much fun talking all things Jewish food (matzah balls, bialys, Adafina, falafel, to name just a few!), Passover, and my cookbooks with longtime radio host, food critic, and prolific food and travel writer Merrill Shindler in a show recorded right before Passover. Merrill hosts Feed Your Face on CRN Digital Talk Radio, and always has fascinating food interviews on tap. I’m honored to be among them. His show regularly airs on Saturdays from 2-3 and Sundays from 4-5. Our show aired already but if you want to listen, you can find it on demand here: bit.ly/3ZIWPif.
—
#jewishfood #Passover #cookbooks

Matzah balls were among the first Jewish foods I e
Matzah balls were among the first Jewish foods I embraced after converting to Judaism. These beloved icons helped welcome me to the world of Jewish food—and became part of my cookbook and Web site titles! If you only make matzah balls once a year, now’s the time. They originated as a Passover food from creative cooks centuries ago looking for a substitute for their flour-based soup dumplings, which were forbidden for the holiday. And of course, these tender orbs are in their element in chicken soup, aka Jewish penicillin. The whole package is comfort and love in a bowl and a wonderful start to the holiday meal, but also now rightfully savored year-round. 

Find my recipe from The Essential Jewish Cookbook through the smartbio link in my profile. A few notes:

• My recipe uses olive oil instead of schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) because I think it tastes better and less greasy, plus it’s easier. But if you prefer schmaltz, of course use it.

• Although I prefer matzah balls to be slightly dense, like pasta, if you like them softer, add 1 teaspoon of baking powder (yes, it's okay for Passover) to the dry ingredients in the recipe. 

• Matzah balls work just fine made the day before serving and kept covered in a little stock in the fridge.

• Matzah balls can also be made ahead and frozen, though I think the texture is better fresh.

• Use homemade chicken broth for the best soup, but you can also “doctor” some store-bought stock—see the note at the end of the recipe.

• Feel free to substitute herbs and spices to your liking!
…
#passover #happypassover #jewishfood #passovercooking #jewishholidaycooking #jewishholidays #passoverrecipes #matzahballs #matzoballs #matzahballsoup #matzoballsoup #Ashkenazifood

Now for holiday sweets! Here are a few favorites w
Now for holiday sweets! Here are a few favorites with a Jewish-Italian influence, plus one I can’t resist including because it’s so fun. These are all gluten-free and Passover-friendly. Find the recipe links in my profile, except find the Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe in my cookbooks, Meatballs and Matzah Balls or The Essential Jewish Cookbook.

Pictured are: 
1. Strawberry-Mint Granita, my recipe for the Italian ice dessert that makes a wonderful intermezzo in the big meal, or a lightly minty-sweet refreshment at any time

2. Lemon-Blueberry Cake, inspired by Italian almond-citrus cakes, this one’s bright lemon flavor with bursts of blueberries is especially festive for spring

3. Flourless Chocolate Cake, an idea that possibly traces its roots to Italian and Jewish-italian bakers, early makers of chocolate cakes after chocolate came into wider use; variations of flourless chocolate cakes or tortes have become perennial Passover desserts for many families

4. Chocolate-Pecan Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches, not Italian, but a batch of these in the freezer remain playfully enticing all holiday week long, and I make these every year
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#passover #happypassover #passoverdesserts #jewishfood #passovercooking #jewishholidaycooking #jewishitalian #jewishholidays #passoverrecipes #passoversweets

I enjoy so many different recipes for Passover, bu
I enjoy so many different recipes for Passover, but I’m always especially thrilled with my Jewish-Italian-influenced dishes. Here are some of my savory favorites, with recipe links available through my profile. Tomorrow I’ll share some beloved recipes on the sweet side. 

Pictured: Turkey Meatballs with Spicy-Sweet Pepper Sauce, Matzah Lasagna, Roasted Tomato and Asparagus Sformato, Spinach Arancini (with Passover-friendly “panko”), and Polpettone di Tonno (Italian tuna loaf) with Horseradish Green Sauce.
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#passover #pesach #jewishfood #passovercooking #happypassover #jewishholidaycooking #jewishitalian #Jewishholidays #passoverrecipes

It’s National Puppy Day…and also two weeks unt
It’s National Puppy Day…and also two weeks until this shelter puppy’s first Passover! I’ve been procrastinating this year, and if you have, too, here are a few preliminary tips for getting started (which I will be doing asap):
• make a menu and shop for non-perishables now, including wine—and get more eggs than you think you’ll need.
• clean out the freezer and pantry to make room for Passover foods. 
• plan to make and freeze some dishes in advance—chicken stock, brisket, my meatball matzah balls, chocolate matzah toffee, and ice cream sandwiches all work beautifully made ahead.
• by next week, make a "train schedule" of when and where to prep/cook/heat foods. Tape this inside a cabinet door on the big day for easy consultation. I’m ALWAYS glad I do this. 
• start planning meals for the rest of the holiday week that fit your level of holiday observance—it’s better to do this ahead and have ingredients on hand...and remember you’re only required to eat matzah during the seder (after that, eat it only if you really want to).
...
#Passover 
#Passovertips 
#Jewishholidays
#Passoverprep

Fried Fish with Old Bay Mayo—I love this recipe
Fried Fish with Old Bay Mayo—I love this recipe and it came back to mind in seeing all the special fish-and-chips offerings on Friday restaurant menus, and then of course the St. Patrick’s Day merriment today. I included what seems like a very British Isles dish in The Essential Jewish Cookbook because it seems likely Sephardic Jews introduced the love for and tradition of batter-frying fish to the region centuries ago. Plus as Passover looms, the more battered, breaded, pasta-y things I can enjoy, the better. 😁

BTW, that Old Bay dipping sauce, an homage to the spice blend created by a German-Jewish immigrant to America, really makes the dish outstanding. Find the recipe in The Essential Jewish Cookbook. Happy Fry-day!
…
#friedfish #batteredfish #batterfriedfish #fish #oldbayseasoning #jewishfood #jewishcooking #deepfriedgoodness #fishfry

Hamantaschen! Here are my favorites, several with
Hamantaschen! Here are my favorites, several with a Jewish-Italian flavor twist: 1. Chocolate Cream Cheese Hazelnut/Nutella (find the recipe in the "Meatballs and Matzah Balls" cookbook), with a cameo in this pic by our newly adopted Rosie! 2. Marzipan-Pignoli with Salted Honey Butter, sophisticated with nutty, sweet, and salty flavors. 3. Ricotta-Mascarpone with Mocha Glaze, creamy fun with added depth from the glaze. 4. Salted Bourbon Caramel, not Italian, but capturing the Jewish connection to the bourbon industry and nodding to the holiday’s extra festiveness. 5. The classic blond dough with jam filling, here with my preferred raspberry (find the recipe in "The Essential Jewish Cookbook"). Find the Marzipan, Ricotta-Mascarpone, and Bourbon Caramel recipes through the link in my profile. Happy baking, sharing, and celebrating!
…
A few quick tips for helping your hamantaschen hold their shape:

• Roll dough to no thinner than 1/4-inch-thick to make it manageable to shape the pastries and for them to hold together

• For a 3-inch dough round, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon filling; any more tends to push open the sides

• Pinch the corners firmly and, then, pinch them again to keep them from opening during baking

• Chill the formed pastries before baking, ideally 30 minutes in the freezer

• Bake on convection bake if you have the option and slightly shorten the baking time
…
#happypurim #purim #hamantaschen #jewishholidaybaking #jewishholidayfoods #JewishItalian

These carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frost
These carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are one of those recipes that have become beloved mainstays in my repertoire. And for that I have cookbook authors Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins to thank for including Berta’s Carrot Cake in their wonderful The New Basics Cookbook, which I bought many years ago. This classic—as a layer or sheet cake or cupcakes—delights almost everyone, and I’ve even used it as a wedding cake for friends. The carrot, pineapple, and coconut create flavor harmony, accented by cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s always so fragrant, fresh and moist, and I love that it is also relatively easy to make. I say it can hold its own against any chocolate cake!

BTW, carrot cake most likely first appeared in print in the U.S. in a Jewish cookbook in 1912, according to historian Gil Marks. The cakes—made with what had become a significant vegetable in central European Jewish cuisine and a symbolic Rosh Hashanah food—featured prominently in early sisterhood cookbooks. Decades later after they gained a cream cheese frosting, their popularity in America truly spread. And no wonder.
…
#classiccakes #carrotcake #carrotcakecupcakes #cookbooks #thenewbasicscookbook #carrots #jewishbaking #jewishfood #Ashkenazifood

Why is it Jewish Father-in-Law’s Day, and why ar
Why is it Jewish Father-in-Law’s Day, and why are bialys a wonderful way to honor it? Find out in my latest article for Tablet Magazine, where it’s always such an honor to be featured. See my profile for the link to the article with my bialys recipe! 
—
#parshayitro #jewishfatherinlawsday #bialys #jewishrecipes #jewishstories #jewishfamily #jewsbychoice

Mushroom and Red Wine Risotto—these cold winter
Mushroom and Red Wine Risotto—these cold winter months call for something creamy, comforting, and savory, and risotto with two kinds of mushrooms, onion, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and robust wine is my answer. New recipe—link in profile!

BTW, Italy’s Jews particularly enjoyed risottos of all types, and I’m with them 100 percent. Risottos are delicious, filling dishes that can be adapted to whatever is on hand. They are always creamy thanks to the starchy rice and some periodic stirring on the cook’s part, and always comforting—homey, yet special. 
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#risotto #jewishitalian #rice #mushrooms #porcinimushrooms #mushroomrisotto #redwinerisotto #comfortfood

Baked Sea Bass with Artichokes, Mozzarella, and Ol
Baked Sea Bass with Artichokes, Mozzarella, and Old Bay Seasoning! This warm casserole's an old fav that’s particularly comforting this time of year with its melty Italian cheeses, briny artichokes, tender fish, and warm spices from the Old Bay (created by a German-Jewish immigrant). The recipe takes inspiration from a Jewish-Italian dish of mild fish baked with artichokes, and I incorporated the Old Bay and cheesiness from a seafood dish I used to love from the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The flavors and textures work spectacularly, and the dish has just 8 ingredients and can be on the table in about 30 minutes. Be sure to enjoy it hot while the cheese is wonderfully gooey. I shared this recipe from the Meatballs and Matzah Balls cookbook with Tablet Magazine awhile back—find it through the link in my profile. 
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#jewishitalian #jewishfood #jewishcooking #recipes #jewishcookbooks #oldbayseasoning #artichokes #fishmaindish #dinnerin30 #glutenfree

DC PR powerhouse @jillcollinspr being honored by B
DC PR powerhouse @jillcollinspr being honored by Bob Madigan, WTOP news’ former "man about town." What a wonderful celebration of Jill Collins Public Relations at 30 years—and going stronger than ever. There were so many funny, warm stories of Jill’s generosity and fierce, uncompromising focus on achieving the best for her clients—as well as for the entire DC hospitality industry. So grateful to have first gotten to know you, Jill, many years ago through your work with the DC GRAMMY Awards office, and so grateful for your enthusiastic support for my cookbooks. Congratulations on this milestone, and here’s to many more! 😘 #JCPR30
And what a beautiful spread @carminesnyc DC restaurant!

I can prepare all the fancy appetizers I want, but
I can prepare all the fancy appetizers I want, but nothing gets my family to the table faster than this Artichoke Parmesan Dip (a beloved recipe you can find in the Meatballs and Matzah Balls Cookbook). It's creamy, a little tangy and garlicky, and just the right amount of chunky for scooping onto a cracker. The warm dip is also lovably retro, which adds to the charm of it. There’s rarely more than a spoonful or two left, mostly because everyone is too polite to scrape the baking dish. 

Another plus—you can easily keep the ingredients on hand to pull together on short notice for a gathering or, say, when you decide to have it for late breakfast like we did this week. 😋
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#artichokedip #appetizers  #hotappetizers #cookbooks #partyfood #artichokes

Whether you are making potato latkes for the first
Whether you are making potato latkes for the first time or as something you do every year, you are stepping into a tradition begun more than a 150 years ago in Eastern Europe. There Jews found the recently introduced potatoes to be plentiful, cheap, and perfect for frying into crispy pancakes for Hanukkah. And I’m so glad they did because latkes are another of my favorite Jewish foods. It took me a millisecond to thrill to my husband’s family’s latkes with their crisp exterior and almost creamy center. Sour cream is nice but often I prefer them as is, so I can really savor the potato flavor accented by onions, salt, and pepper. The Friedman family recipe featuring finely hand-shredded potatoes is the one my husband’s grandfather Jacob made when he lived in what is now Ukraine. That he and his family survived the Holocaust is a miracle to be celebrated on this holiday of miracles, and making his recipe adds great joy and meaning to the celebration. 

Find the Friedman recipe in the Meatballs and Matzah Balls Cookbook (where you can also find a photo of Jacob!). And of course, latkes are a Jewish food essential, and you can find a version you can make with the food processor in The Essential Jewish Cookbook.

Whatever foods you make and share with loved ones this holiday season, hoping you find them meaningful, comforting, and delicious!
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#happyhanukkah #Hanukkah #Chanukkah #latkes #potatolatkes #Hanukkahlatkes #Hanukkahtraditions #jewishfoodtraditions #Ashkenazifood #Hanukkahcooking #jewishfood #jewishholidaycooking #friedfoods #deepfried #friedpotatoes #essentialjewishfoods

Figs and Sambuca-spiked honey elevate what was alr
Figs and Sambuca-spiked honey elevate what was already a special and long-loved Jewish-Italian Hanukkah dessert, fried dough fritters with honey syrup. I love the little bursts of fig caramel-like richness and the elegance the anise flavor gives. 

These cousins to the Sephardic bimuelo are delightfully homey and sophisticated at the same time—and they are easier than doughnuts! Even better, the little fried dough shapes can honor both Jewish-Italian and Italian Christmas honey fritter traditions at once, an especially nice symmetry for a year when the two holidays overlap. Sprinkles in the colors of Italy or blue and white are pretty but optional. Find the link to the recipe in my profile.
...
#Hanukkah #Chanukkah #Hanukkahdesserts #Hanukkahcooking #jewishfood #jewishitalian #fritters #sambuca #jewishholidaycooking #friedfoods #deepfried #frieddessert


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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

      Buy print and ebook versions now on Amazon.com

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