Category: Dairy

Muhammara Carpaccio

Muhammara, but make it dinner-party worthy. This deconstructed version takes everything I love about the classic Middle Eastern dip and stretches it out across a platter like a carpaccio: silky ribbons of roasted peppers, toasted walnuts, pomegranate molasses, herbs, feta, and warm spices layered separately so every bite tastes a little different from the last. It has all the familiar flavors of traditional muhammara, but with more texture, more contrast, and a presentation that makes people stop before they dig in.

Muhammara originated in Aleppo, Syria, where it became known as a rich spread built around roasted red peppers, walnuts and breadcrumbs. The name itself comes from the Arabic word ahmar, meaning “red,” a nod to its deep color. Traditionally, muhammara combines roasted peppers with walnuts, breadcrumbs, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and warm spices like Aleppo pepper and cumin. The result is smoky, sweet, tangy, nutty, and slightly spicy all at once. Like many dishes throughout the Levant, it spread across borders and kitchens, taking on small changes depending on region and family traditions.

I love keeping the flavor profile intact while changing the form entirely. Instead of blending everything into a dip, I separate the ingredients and let each one have its own place on the platter. Thin roasted pepper strips become the base, laid out almost like carpaccio. Toasted walnuts and cumin-scented panko add crunch, pomegranate molasses brings that signature sweet tang, fresh herbs brighten everything, and a drizzle of good olive oil ties it all together.

And then I add feta.

No, feta is not traditional in muhammara. But Shavuot is all about dairy, and salty creamy feta works almost suspiciously well here. Against the sweet roasted peppers and sticky pomegranate molasses, it adds richness and sharpness that turns it into something that feels made for a holiday table. It shifts the dish from dip territory into appetizer territory.

 

Deconstructed Muhammara Carpaccio

3 large red peppers
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup panko crumbs
2 ounces feta, crumbled
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, mint or cilantro
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
smoked or flaky salt, to taste
Warm pita or crusty bread, for serving

Method:

Cut the red peppers in half and place cut-side-down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and roast at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes until blistered. Remove from the oven and cover with foil to steam.

While the peppers are roasting, toast the walnuts in a dry pan, remove. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toast the cumin seeds until sizzling, then add the panko crumbs. Saute until golden and crisp.

When the peppers are cool, remove the seeds and peel off the skins. Cut into strips.

Arrange the roasted pepper strips on a large platter. Drizzle with olive oil and pomegranate molasses. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper and salt and Ssatter over the walnuts, panko and herbs. Finish with feta cheese.

 

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Italian Ricotta Cherry Pie

There are desserts that become popular because they are beautiful, and then there are desserts that survive because history forced them to. Crostata di ricotta e visciole — the iconic Roman Jewish sour cherry and ricotta tart — is both.

I first tried the famous pie when I visited the Jewish ghetto in Rome in 2021, and quickly learned that the ricotta cherry pie is a traditional Roman pastry available in every kosher restaurant! The texture of the ricotta is a lot firmer than what we get in states, more similar to farmer cheese.

ricotta cherry pies in the window of Boccione

Legend has it that during centuries of papal rule, Roman Jews lived under brutal restrictions, confined to the ghetto and limited in what they could own, sell, and eat. According to the story most commonly attached to this tart, Jews were forbidden by the Pope from openly selling dairy products. Bakers began hiding the sweetened ricotta beneath a layer of dough so the tart appeared to be a simple pie from the outside. What began as necessity became one of the great pastries of Rome.

Boccione’s famous ricotta cherry pie

Today, the most famous version is still associated with the tiny Roman bakery Boccione, the nearly 200-year-old bakery known as the “burnt cakes factory” tucked into the Jewish Ghetto, known for its dark, almost burnt-looking pastries and ricotta pies with blistered tops (because of the old ovens that have a very high temperature) and jam peeking through cracks in the crust. It is rustic, imperfect, deeply Roman, and unforgettable.

I wanted something inspired by that pie but slightly freer and more rustic — somewhere between a traditional crostata and a galette. I started with authentic pasta frolla, the classic Italian sweet pastry dough that is softer and more cookie-like than American pie crust. Then came the ricotta filling, the sour cherry preserves, and eventually the realization that my American ricotta was far too loose for a freeform galette. So the dessert evolved back into what it probably always should have been: a proper Italian ricotta tart.

The result was one of those desserts that tastes old-world in the best way. Buttery crust. Bright cherry jam. Creamy ricotta. Not cheesecake exactly. Not pie exactly. Something more rustic and soulful, and just perfect for Shavuot.


ricotta cherry pie at Casalino in the Jewish Ghetto
 

Crostata di ricotta e visciole
Ricotta Cherry Pie

Pasta Frolla Dough

2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
Zest of ½ orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, for eggwash

Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with small pea-sized bits of butter remaining. Add the egg, egg yolk, orange zest, and vanilla and pulse just until the dough begins forming large clumps. Turn the dough onto the counter and gently press together into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Ricotta Filling

NOTE: for a more authentic ricotta texture, strain 2 cups of ricotta overnight and omit the cornstarch.

1½ cups whole milk ricotta
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
16oz. sour cherry jam, such as D’arbo

In a bowl, whisk together the ricotta, sugar, egg, vanilla, salt, and cornstarch until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut the chill dough in half and roll out into 2 discs. Place one half into a tart pan or pie dish. Chill again for 15 minutes. Fill with the cherry jam and ricotta mixture and top with the second sheet of dough. If you have any scraps of dough, you can decorate the pie with it!

Brush the crust with egg wash and bake for 50–65 minutes until the crust is deeply golden and the filling is mostly set with a slight wobble in the center.

Cool completely before slicing. The ricotta texture is best when served cold.

 

Related Recipes:

cherry yogurt popsicles

halva and ricotta stuffed figs

pumpkin ricotta pancakes with cranberry syrup

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Latke Caesar Salad

Happy Chanukah! We’re making a LATKE CAESAR SALAD because my kale caesar salad is a winner at EVERY gathering, and this version, with clusters of lacy latkes and a sour cream dressing, is my best Chanukah reinvention to date!

Latke Caesar Salad
4 russet potatoes, julienned with a julienne peeler
1 egg
2 tbsp flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Canola oil, for frying
Kosher salt and smoked paprika, for dusting
1 lb. Kale, stems removed, torn into bite sized pieces
freshly grated parmesan, for topping

Sour Cream Caesar Dressing
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tsp lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (or mashed fillets)
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
1–2 tablespoons water or milk to thin

Method:

To make the latke croutons, mix the potatoes, egg, flour, salt and pepper until just combined. Heat a few inches of oil in a deep skillet and use a fork or tongs to drop small clusters of potatoes into the oil. Fry until golden brown, and remove with a slotted spoon on a rack set over a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and smoked paprika.

Remove the tough stems from the kale and tear or roughly chop into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine the dressing ingredients until creamy and incorporated. Pour the dressing over the kale and using gloves, massage it in. Transfer to a serving platter, top with freshly grated parmesan and latke croutons.

Related Recipes:

Caesar Salad Pizza
chicken Caesar wraps
devil-ish egg chicken caesar salad
kitchen sink chicken caesar salad
kani caesar salad with nori croutons

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Caesar Salad Pizza

If you’re basic when it comes to pizza, you’re doing it all wrong! Pizza is a base for so many amazing toppings and ideas. Stuff it, fold it, top it, – and if you put a salad on top you’re basically just eating salad, so all the power to ya!

 

Caesar Salad Pizza

1 frozen pizza pie such as Maadanot
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp capers, minced into a paste
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp sriracha
3 cups chopped kale
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Method:

Bake the pizza according to package directions. While it’s baking, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, capers, rice vinegar, soy sauce and sriracha in a bowl, stir to combine. Add the kale to a large mixing bowl and add in about half of the dressing. Wearing gloves, massage the dressing into the kale.

Remove the pizza from the oven and top with salad. Add freshly grated parmesan. Serve immediately.

 

Related Recipes:

kale pizza with hot honey

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Upside Down Beet & Goat Cheese Tart

This tart flips the script (literally!) on traditional tarts. By baking it upside down, the beets caramelize against the pan, creating a glossy, jewel-toned top once flipped. Paired with creamy goat cheese, fresh arugula, crunchy pomegranate seeds and rasberry balsamic reduction? You’ve got yourself a dish that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious. Low on effort. Big on impact. Just how I like it!

Upside Down Beet & Goat Cheese Tart

3 medium pre-cooked beets, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Tuscanini raspberry balsamic glaze, plus more for finishing
1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
arugula, for topping
pomegranate seeds, for topping

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic glaze in the center of the parchment paper. Top with 5 rows of overlapping beets, a bit smaller than than the size of the puff pastry sheet. Top with half of the goat cheese and cover with the sheet of puff pastry (lighty roll out to smooth the folds if folded). Brush with eggwash and transfer to the oven. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip the tart onto a serving tray. Remove the parchment and set aside to cool.

Once cooled, topped with the remaining half of the goat cheese, arugula, pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of the balsamic glaze.

NOTE: If you can’t find Tuscanini’s raspberry balsamic, you can use the classic one.
If you don’t like goat cheese, you can use feta instead.

Related Recipes:

beet “ravioli” with whipped feta
beet kale and goat cheese shakshuka

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