Happy Passover…

I didn’t know that my grandmother was Jewish until I was 12 years old.  Living in an Italian and very Catholic neighborhood in Brooklyn, the subject never came up.  I just figured that she was Catholic but never went to church!

Grandma wasn’t a practicing Jew, but she lit special candles for my grandfather (the Catholic) after his death.  My mom chose, as an adult, to be Catholic.  I attended pre-K at a Synagogue on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn and then 13 years of Catholic School.  Today, I attend a Lutheran church.  Go figure.

But to anyone who is Jewish… I’m Jewish.   Never did I realize how much so until I moved to North Carolina and other people realized how many Jewish (as well as Italian) words made it into my vocabulary!

Bensonhurst, the area of Brooklyn I grew up in, is the area next to a very Jewish section of Brooklyn, called Borough Park.

On Wall Street, I worked at firms started by Jews, like Reynolds and Bear Stearns, where I learned about the Jewish culture.   And over the years I’ve had Jewish friends that I’ve questioned about the culture, too.  I sure do love learning and have attended a Seder meal.

Interesting, that many of my clients (and friends) have been Jewish, too.

Here’s a very good article about Passover.  http://toriavey.com/what-is-passover/

This one is about the special meals served during this very holy time. http://www.rd.com/food/recipes-cooking/the-traditional-foods-of-passover/

Here’s a very traditional recipe sent to me by my assistant Maida Haltrecht.  Happy Passover to you!

Vegetable Matzoh Kugel

Ingredients

5 cups                          Matzoh farfel or matzoh broken up

3 1/2 cups        Hot chicken soup

3/4 lbs              (350g)  Broccoli chopped (cook first)

1                                  Onion chopped

2                                  Red & green peppers & celery all chopped

3 tbsp                          Oil

1 cup                           Mushrooms sliced

1 ½ tsp            Salt

1/4 tsp                         Pepper

5                                  Eggs

Paprika to garnish

Makes 12 servings.

Combine matzoh and chicken soup.  Let stand for 10 min. until liquid absorbed.

Preheat oven to 375 deg.

Cook broccoli until tender crisp.  Let cool.

Combine onion, peppers, & celery with oil and saute.  Stir in mushrooms.  Saute until soft.

Combine all ingredients and mix.

Spread evenly in baking dish and garnish with paprika.

Bake for 45 – 55 minutes.