FOOD

It's Adar!

A triangular menu
for a Purim lunch.

Annabel Cohen

Special to the Jewish News

remember Purim posters at my reli-
gious school while growing up. They
read, "Be happy, it's Adar." For us kids, this
meant the Purim carnival, homemade cos-
tumes and hamantashen.
Guess, what — it's Adar! All over town,
people are gathering food gifts for friends
and (traditionally) the poor.
Many people make a dinner-like meal for
Purim. While it's certainly luxurious to
devour a heavy meal — the whole inegillah,
so to speak — in the-afternoon (especially
when you're shickered), lunch-style foods
are certainly quicker and appropriate as
well for this holiday
There is no set menu for the Purim seu-
dah. However, symbolic foods still have a
place on the Purim menu — triangular
shaped foods are popular (beyond the
hamantaschen) as are vegetarian meals (in
honor of Esther, who by all accounts was a
vegetarian).
The following menu is for a Purim lunch.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

1 pound dry pasta shape
1 red bell pepper, cut into
1/2-inch squares
1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound
unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into
1/2-inch pieces
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 pound asparagus, cut on a slight
diagonal into 1-inch lengths
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
(about 2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
lengthwise
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh chopped parsley, or 3 Tbsp.
dried parsley flakes
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, or more
to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Prepare pasta to al dente, according to

20

March 2 • 2006

package
directions.
Preheat
oven to 450E
Spray large
roasting pan
or disposable
pan with non-
stick spray.
Combine all the
vegetables, including
onion and garlic, in the
pan and drizzle with the
oil. Toss the vegetables with
your hands to coat them
with the oil.
Roast, uncovered, for about
20-30 minutes, turning once or
twice, until the vegetables are
tender, but not mushy.
Remove from
oven and cool
about 10
minutes.
Combine
the pasta, veg-
etables and
remaining ingredients in
a large bowl and toss
well.-Adjust vinegar, salt
and pepper to taste and serve at room tem-
perature or chill up to a day ahead. If chill-
ing, toss again, taste for seasoning and
serve: Makes 8-12 servings.

Cheese Boregs

An Armenian recipe (much like spaniko-
pita, but made with cheese) that's perfect
for Purim.
Filling:
1 pound shredded Monterey Jack
or Brick cheese
1/2 pound Feta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt

Dough:
1 package (12-16 oz. - 17-12-inch size)
frozen filo dough, thawed according
to package instructions
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 cup olive oil

Combine filling ingredients in a medium
bowl and stir. Set aside.
Melt butter and oil together in a small
saucepan over low heat. Keep warm.
Remove the filo from the package and
unfold pastry onto a clean surface. Cover
the dough with plastic wrap and then a
very-slightly damp kitchen towel (this will
keep the dough from drying out - do not get
the dough wet).
Place a filo sheet on another clean surface
with the long edge horizontal to you (keep
remaining sheets covered). Use a pastry
brush to brush the dough very lightly with
the melted butter/oil mixture. Fold the
dough into fourths - you will have a long
narrow strip.
Place 1 Tbsp. of filling at one end of the
long strip. Brush remaining strip lightly
with the butter/oil mixture. Starting from
the end with the filling, fold corner of filo
over to enclose filling and form a triangle.
Continue folding strip (like a flag), preserv-
ing the triangular shape (if there is a little
extra dough, continue folding - this is not
important).
Do not overstuff the triangles or the fill-
ing may ooze out during baking. This
sounds complicated, but with a little prac-
tice, you'll be a pro.
Place the triangle, seam side down, on a
baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
Repeat with remaining filo and filling. You
may freeze the triangles at this point for up
to three months.
To cook, preheat oven to 350F. Arrange
the triangles on a baking sheet (they may
be close, but should not touch each other).
Bake (frozen or fresh) for 12-20 minutes,
until golden. Serve hot or warm. Makes 18-
24 large triangles.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad
With Pita Triangles .

This is a fresh and healthy combination
that's colorful and elegant. Serve it over
greens or alone to be spooned onto pita tri-
angles or into pita pockets.
4 6-oz. cans white meat tuna packed
in water, drained well
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup finely chopped red or
Bermuda onion
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup lightly toasted pinenuts,
optional
salt and pepper to taste
black olives, good quality, garnish
6-8 loaves of pita, cut into triangles
Place the tuna in a large bowl and break
up with a fork (do not mash). Add remain-
ing ingredients and mix well. Cover and
chill until ready to use. Makes 8 servings.

Pareve Hamentashen

Using a food processor makes these sim-
ple to prepare.
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup margarine or butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2-2 cups filling: jam, prepared pie or
poppy filling, etc.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in
a small bowl and whisk well. Set aside.
Combine the margarine and sugar in the
bowl of a food processor and process for
about 5 seconds. Add the eggs and process
for 3 seconds more. Add the flour mixture
and process until the dough forms a ball on
top of the blade. Remove this dough to a
zipper style plastic bag or wrap in plastic
wrap and chill several hours.
Line one or two baking sheets with
parchment. Set aside.
Cut the chilled ball into 4 pieces and form
one piece into a flattened disk on a lightly
floured surface. Spread a little flour on the
dough disk and use a rolling pin to roll the
dough to 1/8 inch. Use a 3- to 4-inch round
cookie cutter (or clean tuna can with both
lids removed), to cut the dough into circles.
Place 1-2 tsp. of filling in the center of the
circle. Bring 3 sides of the circle up toward
the center of the circle and pinch together
over the filling. (Pinch tightly or the cookie
will open or spread during baking). Place

It's Adar! on page 22