Last month, we explored the earliest English-language Jewish cookbook, The Jewish Manual, or Practical Information in Jewish & Modern Cookery with a Collection of Valuable Recipes & Hints Relating to the Toilette. This cookbook contains the earliest Sephardic recipes published in English.
“Sephardic” comes from the Hebrew word for Spain, Sepharad, and refers to Jews expelled from Spain in 1492, and their subsequent diaspora. They fled far and wide, from Brazil, to New Amsterdam, to modern-day Italy, Greece, and Turkey.
The Jewish Manual contains both sweet and savory Sephardic recipes, such as escobeche, a dish made of fried fish and onions, covered in vinegar, ginger, allspice, cayenne, bay leaves, and lemon; and impanada, another fish dish consisting of layers halibut between slices of potatoes and dumplings, seasoned with pickles, and baked. It’s the sweet recipes in the Manual, however, which really shine. These include several types of bolas, cakes flavored with marzipan and candied citrus peel, dyed with saffron or decorated with gold leaf; sopa d’oro, a “gold” sweet soup colored with cooked eggs yolks and flavored with orange flower water and almonds; macrotes, deep fried slices of French bread sprinkled with sugar; and prenesas, a rich doughnut sprinkled with lemon-flavored sugar.
AJHS has some of my favorite Sephardic cookbooks in its historic cookbook collection, including Cooking the Sephardic Way, a community cookbook published in 1971. An invaluable resource, it collected recipes from the wave of Sephardic Immigrants that left the Ottoman Empire in the 1910s. But these recipes, I realized, were separated from those in the Manual by hundreds of years of settlement in Turkey and Greece, and then decades in America. The recipes in the Manual, lacking the Ottoman influences of Cooking the Sephardic Way, represent a completely different school of Sephardic cooking.
Take, for example, the recipe I decided to recreate: chejados. These are a version of queijadas, a Portuguese sweet tart with an egg-thickened filling. When made with milk, they’re referred to as “Portuguese Milk Tarts.” Versions of this dessert can be found through the extent of the former Portuguese empire; in Macau, for example, they’re called dan tat. Dan Tat can also be found in Chinese bakeries in North America, flavored with almond, ube, or matcha.
The Manual’s chejados have a candied-coconut filling. First, shredded coconut is flavored with rosewater and cooked in a sugar syrup until “perfectly soft.” This results in what its author calls “cocoa nut duce,” a sweet that could be served in small glasses or baked until crispy. Duces, or dulces, are an important part of Sephardic hospitality. When guests come to visit, a la tavla de dulce, or the sweet tray, is brought out, carrying sweets like rose jelly or soft marzipan, served with silver spoons.
In this recipe, the cooked coconut is then mixed with egg yolks. The Manual suggests making a tart crust out of “nouilles pastry.” The book also notes that “a rich puff paste may be substituted.” I baked my coconut filling in a puff paste, and I was extremely pleased with the results. Not overly sweet, the tarts were a pleasure of buttery layers of puff paste combined with the slightly crystallized coconut candy texture of the filling. They are a great treat to have with a morning cup of coffee or an afternoon tea.
You can make your own puff paste for this recipe, but you will have equal success (and less of a headache) with store-bought. I feel like many cooks that are unfamiliar with rosewater are also intimidated by it. Make certain to buy an “all-natural” rose water that only lists “distilled rose water” as the ingredient. Cheaper versions are too potent, and lack the subtle, almost unidentifiable flavor a real rosewater adds to a dessert.
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut
- 1 ½ tsp rosewater
- 3 egg yolks, beaten
- Puff Pastry
Makes about 20 tarts
- Add sugar and water to a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat on high without stirring until sugar has dissolved.
- Add coconut to sugar syrup.
- Turn heat to low, add rosewater, and stir.
- Simmer for one hour, stirring every five minutes, until the coconut is soft. The mixture will be a nice toasted brown.
- Remove mixture from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Mix in the egg yolks. The coconut may be fairly hard after it cools; just break it up with a fork while you mix in the egg. This mixture will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Roll out puff paste and use a 3 ¼-inch circular biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out rounds from the dough.
- Pinch the sides to form a cup: either two pinches to create a “boat” shape, or four to make a “hamantaschen” shape.
- Fill the cups with coconut duce.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top of the puff paste is golden, and some of the coconut is deep brown.
- Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
"Kama ilivyoelezwa katika kitabu cha kwanza cha Kiingereza cha maandishi ya Wayahudi, ""The Jewish Manual: Practical Information in Jewish and Modern Cookery with a Collection of Valuable Recipes and Hints Relating to the Toilet"" (Mwongozo wa Kiyahudi: Habari za Vitendo katika Ulaji wa Kiyahudi na wa Kisasa na Mkusanyiko wa Mapishi na Vidokezo Kuhusu Choo)." Kitabu hiki cha kupikia kina mapishi ya mapema zaidi ya Wasefardiki yaliyochapishwa katika Kiingereza. "Sephardic"" linatokana na neno la Kiebrania kwa ajili ya Hispania, Sepharad, na inahusu Wayahudi waliofukuzwa kutoka Hispania katika 1492, na diaspora yao ya baadaye." Walikimbilia mbali mbali, kutoka Brazili, hadi New Amsterdam, hadi Italia ya kisasa, Ugiriki, na Uturuki. "Kifaa cha ki-Sephardic cha ""Sephardic"" ni chakula cha ki-Sephardic kilicho na ladha ya mchuzi, kama vile scobiche, chakula kilicho na samaki na vitunguu vilivyokaushwa, kilichofunikwa kwa siki, tangawizi, allspice, cayenne, majani ya bay, na limao, na impanada, chakula kingine cha samaki kilicho na tabaka za halibut kati ya vipande vya viazi na dumplings, na kuchemshwa na pickles." Hata hivyo, ni mapishi matamu yaliyo katika Mwongozo huo ambayo huangaza sana. "Hizi ni pamoja na aina kadhaa za ""bolas,"" keki zenye ladha ya marzipan na ngozi ya machungwa, zilizopakwa rangi ya saffron au kupambwa kwa majani ya dhahabu; sopa d'oro, supu tamu ya ""dhahabu"" iliyotiwa rangi ya manjano ya mayai yaliyopikwa na ladha ya maji ya maua ya machungwa na almond; macrotes, vipande vya mkate wa Kifaransa vilivyoka kwa sukari; na prenesas, donati tajiri iliyopakwa sukari yenye ladha ya limao." "JJHHS ina vitabu vyake vya kupikia vya kihistoria vya kihistoria, ikiwa ni pamoja na ""Kupika kwa Njia ya KiSefardiki,"" kitabu cha kupikia cha jamii kilichochapishwa mnamo 1971." "Kama ""mfano wa kuvutia"" wa kihistoria, kitabu hicho kilikuwa na maandishi ya kuvutia ya wahamiaji wa Sephardic waliohamia kutoka Ottoman katika miaka ya 1910." Lakini mapishi haya, niligundua, yalitofautiana na yale yaliyo katika Mwongozo kwa mamia ya miaka ya makazi katika Uturuki na Ugiriki, na kisha miongo kadhaa katika Amerika. Mapishi katika Mwongozo, kukosa ushawishi Ottoman ya Kupika njia Sephardic, kuwakilisha shule tofauti kabisa ya kupika Sephardic. Kwa mfano, fikiria kichocheo ambacho niliamua kutengeneza tena: chejados. Hizi ni aina ya queijadas, keki tamu ya Kireno yenye kujazwa kwa mayai. Wakati kufanywa na maziwa, wao ni inajulikana kama <unk>Portuguese Milk Tarts.<unk> Matoleo ya dessert hii inaweza kupatikana kwa njia ya kiasi cha zamani Ureno milki; katika Macau, kwa mfano, wao ni kuitwa dan tat. Dan Tat pia inaweza kupatikana katika mikate ya Kichina katika Amerika Kaskazini, yenye ladha ya almond, ube, au matcha. Chejados ya Manual ina kujaza kwa kokoni iliyotiwa sukari. Kwanza, kokoni iliyokatwa hutiwa ladha na maji ya waridi na kupikwa katika syrup ya sukari hadi iwe laini kabisa. Hii inasababisha kile mwandishi wake anaita "cocoa nut duce", tamu ambayo inaweza kutumika katika glasi ndogo au kuchemshwa hadi kuwa nyembamba. Duces, au dulces, ni sehemu muhimu ya ukaribishaji-wageni wa Wasefardiki. Wakati wageni wanakuja kutembelea, a la tavla de dulce, au sahani tamu, huletwa, ikichukua peremende kama jelly rose au marzipan laini, kutumika na vijiko vya fedha. Katika kichocheo hiki, karanga iliyopikwa huchanganywa na manjano ya mayai. Mwongozo huo unaonyesha jinsi ya kutengeneza ganda la keki ya <unk>nouilles.<unk> Kitabu hicho pia kinasema kwamba <unk>keki yenye mafuta mengi ya puff inaweza kubadilishwa.<unk> Nikaoka kujaza kwangu kwa kokoni katika keki ya puff, na nilifurahi sana na matokeo. Si tamu sana, tarts walikuwa furaha ya tabaka buttery ya puff mchanganyiko na kidogo crystallized candy kokoni texture ya kujaza. Ni chakula kizuri sana cha kunywa pamoja na kikombe cha kahawa asubuhi au chai alasiri. Unaweza kufanya mchanganyiko wako mwenyewe wa puff kwa mapishi haya, lakini utakuwa na mafanikio sawa (na maumivu ya kichwa kidogo) na ununuliwa duka. Kwa wale ambao hawajui jinsi ya kuoka maji ya rose, hii ni moja ya njia bora ya kuhifadhi maji ya rose. Hakikisha kununua "kila-asili" rose maji kwamba tu orodha "distilled rose maji" kama kiungo. Matoleo ya bei nafuu ni yenye nguvu sana, na hayana ladha ya hali ya chini, ambayo haiwezi kutambuliwa, ambayo maji halisi ya waridi huongeza kwenye dessert. 1 1⁄2 kikombe cha sukari, 1 1⁄2 kikombe cha maji, 2 kikombe cha kokoni, 1 1⁄2 kikombe cha maji ya maua, 3 yai ya yai, 3 yai ya yai, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji, 1 kikombe cha maji. Joto juu bila kuchochea mpaka sukari imeyumbika. - Ongeza kokoni kwenye sukari ya mchuzi. - Zindua moto kwa chini, ongeza maji ya maua ya waridi, na changanya. - Choma kwa muda wa saa moja, ukichanganya kila baada ya dakika tano, hadi kokoni iwe laini. Mchanganyiko huo utakuwa wa rangi ya kahawia iliyokaangwa vizuri. - Kuondoa mchanganyiko kutoka joto na baridi kwa joto la chumba. - Kuchanganya katika yolks ya yai. Huenda mtunguu ukawa mgumu sana baada ya baridi; fanya vipande-vipande kwa uma huku ukichanganya yai. Mchanganyiko huu unaweza kuhifadhiwa kwenye friji kwa masaa 24. - Joto tanuri kwa 425 ° C. Kuondoa mchanganyiko wa keki na kutumia 3 1⁄4-inch biskuti mviringo au cookie cutter kukata nje ya dough. - Pinch pande kuunda kikombe: ama pinches mbili kuunda <unk>boat<unk> umbo, au nne kufanya <unk>hamantaschen<unk> umbo. - Jaza vikombe kwa karanga duce. Choma kwa dakika 15-20 mpaka sehemu ya juu ya mchanganyiko wa puff iwe ya dhahabu, na baadhi ya kokoni iwe kahawia. - Baridi angalau dakika 10 kabla ya kutumika.