THE PASSOVER SEDER

Passover is celebrated each year around end of March /April, according to the Hebrew calendar. It’s the festival that commemorates the liberation of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. All leaven products such as bread, pasta etc are prohibited.

THE SEDER

Traditionally the Seder is conducted on two consecutive nights. It is a dinner consisting of prayers, songs and objects depicting the story of Passover. A book called a Haggadah, that everyone follows during the Seder, tells the story of the Jews exodus from Egypt.

There are certain things that are on the Seder plate as reminders of the Jewish peoples plight.

1. A roasted egg, the symbol of new life.

2. The bitter herbs to remind us how hard life was.

3. Parsley, that represents Spring. This is dipped in salt water to remember the tears.

4. A shank bone which is a reminder of the lambs that were slaughtered.

5. Horseradish or lettuce depicting the bitterness of the slaves lives.

6. A mixture of honey, apples and nuts called Charoset, that symbolises the mortar used by the slaves.

Traditional foods eaten at the Seder are; chopped liver, gefilte fish, matzah balls in chicken soup, brisket, chicken etc.

My late father was an Ashkenazi Jew (European) and my late mother a Sephardi

Jew (Middle East, Spain, Portugal and North Africa) so food and traditions varied slightly.

Here are some recipes I love making with my seven-year -old grandson.

Recipes

CHAROSET

• 8 x Granny Smith apples peeled and cored.

• ½ cup almonds.

• 3 x tablespoons sugar (I use castor sugar).

• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon.

• ½ teaspoon lemon juice.

• Grated rind of a lemon.

• ½ cup dates.

• ½ cup figs.

• ½ cup raisins.

• 3 x tablespoons sweet red wine. Put all ingredients into a food processor and blitz (in slow bursts) to your preferred consistency. Add extra sugar to taste.

TOFFEE MATZAH

• Matzah (at least two sheets per lamington baking tray).

• 250 gms butter.

• 1 x cup brown sugar.

• 1 ¼ cups semi sweet or dark chocolate buttons.

• Sea salt.

• Topping of choice eg sprinkles, pistachios, chopped nuts etc.

• Preheat oven to 180 - 190 oC.

• Line a lamington baking tray with alfoil then cover with baking paper.

• Evenly cover with matzah and break into pieces if necessary to cover base with matzah.