MASHA’S KITCHEN

Pesach is here and the food doesn’t have to be boring!

BEETROOT EINGEMACHTES

This traditional beetroot jam must be cooked until it goes brown – giving the jam its lovely flavour.

2lb (1kg) cooked beets ½ oz (15g) ginger

2lb (1kg) granulated sugar 6 fl oz (150ml) water

3 unpeeled lemons 4oz (100g) split bleached almonds

Cut the beets into slivers and put into heavy pan with the sugar and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Meanwhile, wash the lemons, slice and cut into pith-free segments. Add these to the beets and cook for a further hour. The beets at this stage will look slightly brown and transparent. Finally add the ginger and nuts and cook for a further 15 mins. The contents of the pan must always be barely bubbling. The jam thickens as it cools. Pour into warm jars which have been for 10 minutes in a low oven (Gas no. ½, 250F, 130C). Cover with wax discs. Makes 4lb (2kg) jam.

Pesach Rolls

Great instead of matzo sandwiches for those who have to take lunch to work during Chol HaMoed! Also good for spreading Eingemachtes on!

8oz (200g) medium matzo meal 4 fl oz (100ml) oil

1 tsp salt 8 fl oz (200ml) hot water

3 tspn sugar 4 eggs

Mix meal, salt and sugar together and set aside. Mix oil and water in a heavy saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the meal mixture to the boiling liquid all at once. Stir vigorously over a low heat until the mixture forms a ball. Remove the pan from the heat. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Leave to cool, then roll 12 walnut-sized balls and set them out 2" apart on two trays. Bake for 50 mins (Gas no. 5, 375F, 190C) until brown.

Berry and Cinnamon Sponge Torte

Easy to make and freezes well!

Torte:

2 ½oz potato flour 5oz soft margarine

1 tspn baking powder 5oz caster sugar

1lb frozen fruit 3oz ground almonds

2 ½ oz cake meal 2 eggs

Topping:

2oz flaked almonds 1 tspn cinnamon

Process sugar and margarine for 1 min. Add all the other ingredients except the topping and fruit. Put half the cake mixture into a square foil dish, then spread on fruit. Dot on the rest of the cake mixture with a spoon and spread it with a knife. Sprinkle on the topping and bake for 40-50 mins (Gas no. 4, 350F,180C),